The Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) has called on the Military High Command to provide regular updates on investigations into last week’s military helicopter crash to prevent speculation and the spread of misinformation.

The leadership led by GJA President, Albert Kwabena Dwumfour, made the appeal when they paid a courtesy call on the Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS) at Burma Camp in Accra on Wednesday, August 13.

Speaking during the meeting, Dwumfour stressed the need for transparency in the wake of the tragedy.

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“This is a country where misinformation and disinformation thrive,” he noted.

“If we don’t take care, fake news can compromise or contaminate the minds and hearts of people. We don’t need to sit and allow speculations to ruin the minds and hearts of people before we come out with the facts,” he added.

According to him, even in the absence of new findings, brief updates would reassure the public and maintain trust.

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“Periodic and constant briefing in this regard will help clear some doubts. Even when there’s no update, just informing the public that investigations are ongoing, and that they should disregard unauthorised information in the public space until you come out with your update; that alone can serve as information,” he added.

Dwumfour also expressed concern that it had been a week since the incident without any official public statement from the Ghana Armed Forces on the progress of the investigation.

“We hope this meeting will offer you the opportunity to update the good people of this country on where you have gotten to in terms of investigation,” he said.

AS/VPO

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