Ghana's Minister for Government Communications urges media to become strategic partners in preventive security

Speaking at a capacity-building workshop for the Private Newspapers and Online News Publishers Association of Ghana PRINPAG, Deputy Government Spokesperson Shamima Muslim, representing the Minister, highlighted growing security threats from instability in the Sahel, misinformation, and internal tensions. Kwakye Ofosu stressed the importance of collaboration between the government, security agencies, and the media, noting that Ghana is in a region facing coups and jihadist spillover. He acknowledged the media's historical role in protecting democracy but warned that growing credibility challenges could impact national security.

The Minister urged journalists to prioritize verification, context, and accuracy, especially during tensions, and proposed four questions for security alerts: verification with at least two independent sources, potential danger to troops or victims, exposure of tactical information to extremists, and potential to inflame ethnic or religious tensions. He also called for stronger communication between the government, security institutions, and the media, suggesting a secure verification channel linking PRINPAG, the National Security Secretariat, and his office. Kwakye Ofosu proposed quarterly security briefings