African journalists' federation rejects censorship as the cure for false information

Pinned summary · as of 05:30

The Federation of African Journalists (FAJ) has spent September pressing governments across the continent to protect press freedom, with Accra as the setting for one of its recent meetings. Its president, Omar Faruk Osman, says tighter control of speech is the wrong reply to misinformation, hate speech and AI-generated material.

What we know

• The FAJ, speaking through Omar Faruk Osman, said fake news, hate speech and the misuse of artificial intelligence must not be used as grounds for censorship or greater state control.
• As alternatives, the federation asked for stronger professional journalism and wider media literacy, so that audiences can better tell reliable reports from false ones.
• The federation also called for better protection of journalists, with Mr Osman linking attacks on reporters to a weaker climate for reliable information and urging safer working conditions.

What's disputed / unconfirmed

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  The Custodian reported that the FAJ Steering Committee met in Accra on 17 and 18 September, hosted by the Ghana Journalists Association with KGL Group's support, and picked Ghana to stage its 6th Continental Congress; no other report has verified this.
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  According to The Custodian, the visiting FAJ leaders held talks with President John Dramani Mahama, and the government communications minister of state, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, told delegates that the government would not tolerate harassment of journalists. This has not been confirmed by other reports.
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  The Custodian also said the Ghana Journalists Association president, Albert Kwabena Dwumfour, asked media bodies to cooperate more closely on journalists' safety and living conditions, and that the meeting approved its audit reports, admitted four new members and adopted a communication strategy. Only this publication has reported those details.
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  Onua Online reported that, on the day set aside for universal access to information, the FAJ asked every African Union member state to match its laws to the continental Model Law on Access to Information, to enforce existing laws fully, and to publish official information in languages people understand. No second report has confirmed these calls.
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  Onua Online further reported that the FAJ asked digital platforms to explain more openly how they recommend and moderate content, and warned that false election claims, WhatsApp rumours and AI-made audio and video feed tension during elections and emergencies. This rests on a single report.

Why it matters for Ghana

Ghanaians who rely on radio, online news and WhatsApp during elections and emergencies are the people most exposed to rumours, and the federation's stance shapes how any future rules on false information might be drawn. Journalists working in Accra and the regions are directly affected by demands for better safety, while readers gain from any push to make official records easier to obtain and in languages they speak. Ghana's possible role as host of the next FAJ congress would also bring African press-freedom debates to the country.