Inspector-General of Police, Dr. George Akuffo Dampare, has called on the general public to volunteer information and help the Ghana Police Service tackle the menace of disinformation and misinformation in the country.

He noted that tackling this menace requires the collaborative effort of both the service and the public.

He lamented that while some people offer useful tips to the police when they fight crimes, others seem happy when others are in trouble or pain.

“Disinformation and misinformation are national security threats, and we should see them in that perspective. We should walk out of these places changed as people seeking to make a difference from these challenges that threaten the security of our nation,” he said at a summit organized by the Ghana Report on disinformation and misinformation.

“What do we want as a people? If we want to be on the side of right or wrong, we have to make a decision. We need everybody to be part of the solution in the fight against disinformation and misinformation. When people spread such disinformation or misinformation and you take action against them, you have some people attacking those who are fighting it… The time has come for us to have a mindset change. All the things we have said so far require a mindset change…

We have become so inhumane to each other such that our happiness is derived from the pain of others. We are so happy when someone is in a bad situation, and we must yearn to change from that,” he added.

Misinformation and disinformation have become major threats to peace and security, especially with the advent of social media through which they spread faster. Even though much effort is being taken to tackle the menace of misinformation and disinformation, much more needs to be done.