Tech oriented Civil Society Organization, Penplusbytes and Open Government Partnership(OPG) Multi-Stakeholder Conference on Fighting Misinformation and Disinformation in Ghana.
Introduction/Overview
In an era of rapid digital transformation, Ghana, like the rest of the world, faces significant
challenges from the spread of misinformation and disinformation both online and offline. As part
of its Open Government Partnership (OGP) commitments, Ghana has pledged to implement
structures to combat this issue and strengthen relevant legislation. Despite efforts to combat
disinformation, a gap persists in the legal framework, public awareness, and cohesive collaboration
among key stakeholders, hindering the effective addressing of these issues.
To bridge these gaps, Penplusbytes, with support from the Open Government Partnership, is
working to achieve the OGP’s commitment to combat misinformation and disinformation.
Penplusbytes conducted a review of Ghana’s legal framework concerning these issues and
provided recommendations to safeguard free speech.
As part of the project activities, an inception meeting was held in February 2025, where key
stakeholders convened to deliberate on strategies for addressing information disorder. The meeting
led to the formal establishment of a stakeholder coalition focused on advancing collaborative
advocacy efforts toward addressing misinformation and disinformation.
The coalition convened a follow-up meeting on April 3, 2025, to discuss findings from the review
of Ghana’s legal framework on misinformation and disinformation. This discussion paved the way
for a more comprehensive engagement on a key recommendation of developing national
guidelines to address the issue of misinformation and disinformation effectively.
Recognizing the urgency of addressing these gaps, Penplusbytes is organizing a Multi-Stakeholder
Conference under the theme: Navigating the Balance: Laws, Disinformation, and Free Speech
to provide a platform for a broader multi-sectoral dialogue on how to develop the national
guidelines.
Objectives of the Conference
– To enhance awareness and comprehension of Ghana’s existing legal framework on
misinformation and disinformation, identifying key gaps and areas for improvement.
-To establish a well-defined blueprint outlining the next steps for developing and
implementing national guidelines to combat misinformation and disinformation.
-To strengthen collaboration and engagement among key stakeholders to foster a
coordinated and multi-sectoral approach to addressing misinformation and disinformation.
Target Audience
-Policymakers and government officials
– Legal experts and regulatory bodies
-Media Organizations
-Civil society organizations (CSOs) and advocacy group
-Academics and researchers
– Influencers