GhanaFact

22/07/2024

Did Ghana record -2.7% agriculture growth rate under John Mahama?

FACT-CHECK
Publicly available data shows, the John Evan Atta Mills and John Dramani Mahama administrations had no negative agric sector growth rate between 2009 to 2016.

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A social media user claims Ghana recorded -2.7% agriculture growth rate under John Mahama in a post on Facebook.

17/07/2024

Have you seen a letter suggesting Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh has resigned as the NPP running mate?

𝐅𝐀𝐂𝐓-𝐂𝐇𝐄𝐂𝐊
“It is very false. He has not resigned,” Fiifi Boafo the spokesperson for the NPP running mate said when contacted.

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GhanaFact on July 16, 2024, found a press statement alleging that the running mate to the presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh, has resigned his position over the controversial remarks he made about Ghana's first president, Dr Kwame Nkrumah.

17/07/2024

Did NAPO hold an NDC-branded umbrella at a public event as seen in a viral picture on X/formerly Twitter?

FACT-CHECK
The viral image has been doctored.

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Claim: Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh (NAPO) seen holding an NDC-branded umbrella Source: Viral photo Verdict: FAKE Researched by Benjamin Tenkorang Did Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh hold an NDC-branded umbrella at a public event as seen in a viral picture on X/formerly Twitter? Barely a month after the New....

05/07/2024

MP for Adaklu Constituency shared an infographic that sought to compare inflation and unemployment rates in some countries in West Africa.

FACT-CHECK
The information on the flyer is MOSTLY FALSE.

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The Member of Parliament for Adaklu Constituency, Kwame Governs Agbodza, on April 5, 2024, shared an infographic that sought to compare inflation and unemployment rates in some countries in West Africa.

03/07/2024

On Tuesday, July 2, 2024, news of a Guinness World Record feat by a Ghanaian chef was widely reported by a number of local and international media outlets including the BBC, Graphic Online and GBC Online.

Less than 24 hours later, some media outlets have since deleted the original news articles they published annoucing the cook-a-thon record, while others have also deleted their social media posts regarding the subject.

Find out why👉

Claim: Ghanaian chef holds the Guinness World Record (GWR) for longest cooking marathon Source: Ebenezer Smith Verdict: FALSE Researched by Abdur Rahman Shaban On Tuesday, July 2, 2024, news of a Guinness World Record (GWR) feat by a Ghanaian chef was widely reported by a number of local and interna...

28/06/2024

Wunpini F. Mohammed, Ph.D., a Board Member of FactSpace West Africa and an assistant professor in the Department of Communication at Cornell University, stated “In an increasingly digital world with citizens having the ability to create content, information has become an incredibly powerful tool. How information is created, used and shared can make or mar democratic processes. This summit will present a space for key players in the fact-checking space to share ideas and learn from one another. Spaces such as these are needed as they support and maintain vibrant democracies across the continent by providing accurate and timely information in key times such as during elections.”

The 2024 Africa Facts summit, scheduled for October 9-10 in Accra, Ghana, will bring together fact-checking organizations and experts from across the continent....

21/06/2024

A viral flyer claims the NDC has named six TV partners ahead of the december elections.

Verdict: FAKE

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Has the National Democratic Congress(NDC) announced its official TV partners ahead of the December elections? A visual card showing the logos of six Ghanaian Television Stations is being portrayed online as the official outdooring of the TV partners for the opposition NDC 2024 campaign.

18/06/2024

For more than 3 years, a debate about criminalising LGBTQ+ activities in Ghana has dominated public discourse.

In this report, GhanaFact has analyzed 247,800 mentions of LGBTQ+ in Ghana on X, collected from Brandwatch and mapped out the online tactics used to reinforce popular opposition to the community.

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A social media analysis of conversations about Le****ns, G**s, Transgender, Bisexual and Q***r (LGBTQ+) in Ghana has exposed the use of coded homophobic slurs, gay-labelling, emotional language, polarisation and red herrings as tactics to reinforce popular opposition to the community.

10/06/2024

A digital analysis of has found that the decision by the police to crackdown on protesters might have won the campaign needed public sympathy and support.

GhanaFact investigations have mapped out the online/offline conversations that drove the hashtag, highlighting the specific interventions that turned the fortunes of the demonstration around.

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The 3-day protest was one that was going nowhere, at least if the low-interest levels among netizens in the days leading up to the protest were anything to go by.

03/05/2024

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) describes the Press Freedom situation in Ghana as "Problematic" in it's 2024 Global Press Freedom Index.

In it's latest report, Ghana ranked 50th out of 180 countries, an improvement on last year's performance.

03/05/2024

As the world celebrates World Press Freedom Day, let's reflect and rededicate our support for fearless, credible and independent journalism.

02/04/2024

On International Fact-Checking Day, this should be on your reading list.

As we celebrate International Fact-Checking Day, here is our recently published paper in the Journal of Nursing and Health Care to pore through.

The qualitative study - "Ghanaian journalists and the spread of rumours during the Covid-19 pandemic: Views from five regions" - examined the role of Ghanaian journalists in disseminating rumours, misinformation, and disinformation during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Additionally, the study investigated how this information was transmitted and spread among journalists, as well as the motivating factors behind their actions.

More here: https://www.opastpublishers.com/journal/journal-of-nursing-healthcare/articles-in-press

02/04/2024

A little bit of research will surely clear up the doubts. Happy International Fact-Checking Day!

28/02/2024

Prez Akufo-Addo has delivered his 8th State of the Nation Address and highlighted the performance of some economic indicators.

GhanaFact has verified the accuracy of some of the claims made during the address.

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President Nana Akufo-Addo on February 27, 2024, delivered his 8th State of the Nation Address before parliament as demanded by the 1992 Constitution of Ghana.

19/02/2024

A viral video of President Nana Akufo-Addo calling on members of the NPP to defend the government’s track record is being portrayed online as his direct response to the recent national address by Dr Mahamudu Bawumia.

Here is what we found when we looked into the claim. 👇🏻👇🏻

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A viral video of President Nana Akufo-Addo calling on members of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to defend the government’s track record is being portrayed online as his direct response to the recent national address by the party’s current flagbearer.

16/02/2024

Ashaiman, a town in the Greater Accra region has been trending number 1 on X/Twitter and according to the dominant narrative online, it is because a Ghanaian military officer has been allegedly killed in the area.

Fact – Check

In an interview with GhanaFact, the Director General of Public Affairs of the Ghana Armed Forces, Col. Aggrey Quarshie clarified that: “They killed somebody who was wearing a military pattern T-shirt, but he is not a soldier. No soldier has been killed in Ashaiman.”

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Claim: Ghanaian military officer killed in Ashaiman Source: Viral social media post Verdict: FALSE Researched by Gifty Tracy Aminu Ashaiman, a town in the Greater Accra region has been trending number 1 on X/Twitter and according to the dominant narrative online, it is because a Ghanaian military of...

10/02/2024

This fact-check report highlights 5 claims made by Dr Bawumia, GhanaFact found to be either false, inaccurate or inconsistent.

The claims relate to Ghana's fiscal deficit, infant mortality, debt levels and more.

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As Ghana gears up for another presidential and parliamentary election in December 2024, the Vice President and flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), in a national address is making a case as to why he is the best person to lead the country.

08/02/2024

PNC General Secretary claims Parliament in 2016 approved that the country's parliamentary election be conducted in November.

FACT-CHECK
The claim is false.

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The General Secretary of the People’s National Convention (PNC), Janet Nabila has claimed Parliament in 2016 approved that the country's parliamentary election be conducted in November.

08/02/2024

Claim: NDC built all public universities in Ghana

Source: Former President John Mahama

Verdict: FALSE

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Ghana's former President John Mahama claims his political party, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) built all public universities in Ghana. The claim has since been published by multiple online media platforms.

06/02/2024

A flyer shared on X/Twitter claims Andrew Solomon has described John Mahama’s commentary on LGBTQ to be “extremely depressing.”

FACT-CHECK
“I never said any such thing,” Andrew Solomon said when GhanaFact contacted him via email.

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A flyer shared on X/Twitter claims the popular activist has described John Mahama’s commentary on LGBTQ to be “extremely depressing.”

06/02/2024

Has Dr Mahamudu Bawumia claimed that the government has issued over 70 million Ghana cards to citizens?

FACT-CHECK
After listening to the full speech, he rather said over 17 million Ghana cards have been issued.

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A short video clip shared on X/ Twitter shows Ghana's Vice President and the Flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr Mahamudu Bawumia claiming that the government has issued over 70 million Ghana cards to citizens.

05/02/2024

A short video clip is being widely circulated on WhatsApp claiming there is an outbreak of Lassa Fever in Ghana.

FACT-CHECK
The Ghana Health Service (GHS) has dismissed the claim as false and called on the public to disregard it.

A short video clip is being widely circulated on WhatsApp claiming there is an outbreak of Lassa Fever in Ghana.

05/02/2024

23/01/2024

Was the Black Stars team bus vandalised by Ghanaian supporters in Côte d’Ivoire?

The answer is NO!

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A viral video clip showing a vandalised bus is being portrayed online as the Black Stars team bus attacked by Ghanaian supporters after a poor showing in their final group game at the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations in Côte d'Ivoire.

22/01/2024

Has GES reduced the number of subjects to be written in the 2024 BECE from 9 to 5?

FACT-CHECK
According to GES, the public should "disregard any information or video in circulation suggesting that BECE candidates will write FIVE subjects this year."

Has the Ghana Education Service(GES) reduced the number of subjects to be written in the 2024 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) from nine (9) to five (5)?

22/01/2024

Did Gabby Otchere-Darko say: “Our grandfather was sensible enough to educate all his grandchildren, so all of us are well educated, that’s why Akufo-Addo appointed a lot of his family members into his government"?

More here:

On January 18, 2024, GhanaFact through its monitoring came across a post on X/ Twitter attributed to a leading member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko.

16/01/2024

A phishing message on WhatsApp claims Ghana's government is giving out GH₵1,000 to parents for child support.

The message encourages unsuspecting parents to apply for the ‘fake’ scheme.

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A phishing message being widely circulated on WhatsApp claims Ghana has launched a Child Support Fund that entitles every Ghanaian parent to receive a monthly stipend of GH₵1,000 over the next six months to ameliorate the high cost of living.

16/01/2024

Have you seen a message on WhatsApp promoting visa sponsorship jobs in the USA?

A phishing link shared in the WhatsApp message seeks to lure unsuspecting individuals to share their Personal Identifiable Information.

Find more here:

A phishing message being circulated on WhatsApp in Ghana claims the government of the United States of America is offering visa sponsorship jobs to caregivers who desire to work in the US.

01/11/2023

Claim: There are no dialysis machines in Ghana

Source: Ivan Innocent Kyei

Verdict: FALSE

Read more here 👇:

A youth activist, Ivan Innocent Kyei, speaking on a popular magazine programme on Onua TV, claimed that Ghana does not have dialysis machines to treat patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD).

18/10/2023

Claim: John Mahama makes tribal comment and calls out Akufo-Addo for ignoring the Volta region

Source: Social media

Verdict: FALSE

More here 👉

A visual card showing a picture of former President John Mahama and a statement supposedly attributed to him has gone viral on social media platforms, including Twitter (X).