Richard Dela Sky, a seasoned lawyer, has expressed concern over the alarming rise of deliberate misinformation in Ghana’s current election cycle.
He described this as an unprecedented phenomenon, highlighting the growing prevalence of false information being spread with the intent to deceive the public.
According to Sky, the political discourse has reached new lows, with both of the country’s major political parties engaging in sophisticated disinformation campaigns.
This trend, he argues, is not only harmful to the democratic process but also undermines public trust in the electoral system.
“What particularly concerns me is the complicity of established media institutions. Reputable broadcasting stations are now platforms for advertisements that brazenly distort facts and traffic in personal attacks.
“The situation on social media platforms has evolved beyond mere partisan rhetoric into an ecosystem of systematic falsehoods”.
Richard Dela Sky
Dela Sky further emphasized that an even more troubling development is the alarming rise of tribal and religious bigotry in political messaging.
He pointed out that, while Ghana’s electoral processes have historically seen occasional traces of these divisive forces, the current situation marks a disturbing escalation.
The scale of this issue, he argued, now suggests a coordinated and systematic effort to manufacture prejudice and hate on an industrial level.
According to Sky, this deliberate weaponization of the country’s social and religious differences is a dangerous new trend in political manipulation.
He warned that it poses significant risks to the social fabric and unity of the nation, threatening to deepen divisions and erode the values of tolerance and inclusivity.
The astute lawyer stated that this sharp departure from the previously more fact-driven, issue-based campaigning signals a profound shift in political discourse.
He noted that this decline goes beyond just a deterioration of political dialogue; it poses a serious threat to the very foundation of informed democratic choice.
Sky indicated that when campaigns shift away from addressing substantive issues and instead focus on spreading misinformation and divisive rhetoric, voters are left without the clarity needed to make decisions based on facts and policy.
According to him, this shift undermines the integrity of the democratic process and erodes the public’s ability to critically engage with important issues. “These familiar electoral vices have not merely persisted – they have metastasized into something far more malignant and pervasive”.
Sky Slams Inaction by Democratic Institutions
Furthermore, Richard Dela Sky expressed deep concern over the apparent paralysis of Ghana’s democratic safeguards and institutions.
He noted that it is equally alarming to witness the apparent silence or inaction of these institutions in the face of such a deliberate, systematic assault on truth.
Dela Sky pointed out that the lack of intervention or visible authority from key democratic bodies during this critical time is not only puzzling but also deeply troubling.
“The Electoral Commission and National Media Commission – institutions mandated to protect our democracy’s integrity in the two major spaces engaged by the issues complained of [politics and media] – appear reluctant to confront this existential threat through decisive action”.
Richard Dela Sky
These institutions, which are meant to uphold the integrity of the electoral process and safeguard democratic values, seem to be failing in their duty to address the widespread misinformation and manipulation.
According to Sky this unfortunate perpetuation of misinformation is undermining public trust and the fairness of the election cycle.
According to him, this inaction raises serious questions about the strength and resilience of Ghana’s democratic framework in the face of such challenges. “If this trajectory continues unchecked, we risk not just the degradation of our democratic principles, but their complete erosion before long”.
Dela Sky lamented that the need for institutional intervention has never been more urgent.
He warned that if action is not taken immediately, Ghana risks crossing a perilous threshold that could have lasting consequences on the country’s democracy.
He stressed that timely intervention by the nation’s democratic institutions is essential to prevent the situation from escalating further and to ensure that Ghana’s democracy remains resilient and capable of withstanding these challenges.
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