President John Dramani Mahama has raised concerns about the growing spread of misinformation and the misuse of artificial intelligence (AI) to create fake images, videos and audio recordings, describing them as challenges confronting Ghana’s digital media environment.
Speaking at the 30th Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) Media Awards on November 7, 2026, under the theme “Celebrating Excellence, Advancing Media Freedom and Combating Hate Speech in the Digital Age,” the President noted that although digital platforms have expanded opportunities for citizens to participate in public discourse, “they have also enabled false claims to reach thousands, if not millions, of people before the facts are made known.”
He cited an incident involving a video of people in Liberia exposing poorly executed roadworks. The video was circulated in Ghana with a manipulated voice-over to make it appear as if the incident occurred in the country.
President Mahama also raised concerns about using AI to create realistic but fabricated images and recordings of public figures, including himself, to promote fraudulent investment schemes.
“Artificial Intelligence also makes fake images and recordings of people that are uncunningly lifelike and easily pass for reality. Indeed, some of these are outright scams, in which artificial intelligence is used to portray, even myself, as President or other prominent persons promoting investments in one scheme or another.”
The President further emphasised the importance of protecting freedom of expression and independent journalism in efforts to address misinformation and called on journalists to exercise greater scrutiny when handling digital content, urging them to establish the origin of recordings, examine what may have been omitted and verify information before broadcasting it.
“Efforts to combat false information must safeguard legitimate criticism and independent reporting. These safeguards matter most when public debate is heated. Our journalists can help by asking where a recording came from, what it left out, and what can be verified, before they put this on air. A presenter can challenge a claim before it is repeated as fact,” he said.
His remarks highlight the growing challenges journalists and media organisations face as AI and digital platforms continue to influence how information is created, shared and consumed.
