The Minister of Government Communications, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, has urged Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to strengthen their responsiveness under Ghana’s Right to Information (RTI) Act by properly resourcing information officers and improving public access to official information.
Speaking at Ghana’s 2026 World Press Freedom Day event in Accra, the Minister stressed that public institutions must stop delaying responses to information requests and instead embrace transparency as a cornerstone of democratic governance.
He said under the RTI Act, public institutions are legally required to designate information officers and respond to requests within 14 days, warning that failure to do so undermines accountability and public trust.
“Public information belongs to the public, and we must lead by example in our own communications,” he stated.
Mr Kwakye Ofosu also called on state institutions to move beyond reactive communication by proactively publishing relevant public data and responding quickly to media enquiries.
The event, organised by the British High Commission in partnership with the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, was held under the theme: “Defending Truth in a Digital Age: Journalism, Information Integrity and Democratic Resilience in Ghana and the Region.”
Beyond access to information, the Minister raised concerns about the growing dangers of misinformation, disinformation and deepfake content, describing the erosion of information integrity as a serious threat to democracy and national security.
He reaffirmed government’s commitment to protecting journalists, promoting media pluralism and fully enforcing the RTI law.
“A government that fears questions has already lost its confidence, and a society that silences journalists has already weakened its democracy,” he said.
Mr Kwakye Ofosu also challenged journalists to uphold ethical standards by avoiding sensational reporting, hate speech and unverified information.
Meanwhile, Ghana’s media freedom credentials received a boost after the country climbed 13 places on the 2025 World Press Freedom Index, moving from 52nd to 39th globally and ranking fourth in Africa.
British High Commissioner to Ghana, Dr Christian Rogg, praised Ghana’s constitutional protections for media freedom but warned that misinformation and foreign influence campaigns remain growing threats.
The Netherlands Ambassador to Ghana, Jeroen Verheul, also highlighted rising threats from organised crime and legal intimidation tactics against journalists, citing the unresolved murder of investigative journalist Ahmed Hussein-Suale as a major concern.
Media practitioners at the event further warned that the rise of generative artificial intelligence is making it increasingly difficult to distinguish credible journalism from fabricated content, underscoring the urgent need for continuous media training and stronger newsroom standards.
