The attention of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) has been drawn to a news item published on Ghana Web on Friday, 3rd April 2020, with the headline: “DEPUTY MINISTER ‘LIED’, NO LOGISTICS RECEIVED FROM GOVERNMENT YET-ASHANTI REGION NCCE”.
The NCCE writes to dissociate itself from the story. The Commission wishes to state firmly that its Ashanti Regional Directorate has not granted an interview to any reporter of GhanaWeb with respect to the above-mentioned subject. NCCE further reiterates that the reporter erred in associating the Commission with the statement.
The news item stated, in part, “the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) in the Ashanti region has debunked assertions by the Deputy Minister for Information, Minister Mr. Pius Enam Hadzide that government has made available logistics for the NCCE to embark on a campaign against the novel coronavirus” The statement added “this comes after the public accused the NCCE of doing nothing in terms of the public campaign on the deadly virus” among others. We wish to state categorically that this statement is a complete fabrication on the part of the reporter as well as GhanaWeb.
The NCCE would like to use this medium to update Ghanaians on its activities on the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) disease. With support from the Church of Pentecost which provided the NCCE with 12 Cinema Vans, Fuel, and Drivers, the NCCE is undertaking a joint public sensitization in all the 16 regions and 260 districts across the country. The focus of the education is on what COVID-19 is about, symptoms of the disease, and the need to observe safety protocols outlined by the World Health Organization (WHO), the Ghana Health Service (GHS), and the Ministry of Health (MoH). These protocols include observing social distancing, avoiding hugging, handshakes, touching of eyes, nose, mouth, regularly, and thoroughly washing hands with soap under running water and the use of alcohol-based sanitizer. Others are on the need for Ghanaians to be calm and observe lockdown rules and stay home in order to help contain the spread of the pandemic.
The NCCE takes this opportunity to remind GhanaWeb to adhere to professional and ethical standards in its reportage and attribute interviews and statements granted to the appropriate persons and institutions.
The National Commission for Civic Education hereby urges the GhanaWeb to retract the story in question and publish this rejoinder with the same visibility as the earlier story.
Signed:
Joyce Afutu (Mrs.)
(Director, Communications and Corporate Affairs)
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