By The Institute of Public Relations (IPR) Ghana has kicked off a five-week pre-election campaign aimed at promoting peaceful elections this year.
The initiative, titled “Speak Truth for Peace,” encourages all Ghanaians, particularly political communicators, to engage in ethical political discourse. In line with the theme of its 50th-anniversary celebration, “Public Relations for Value Creation,” the Institute has prioritized “Ethical Communication for Peacebuilding in an Election Year” as its main objective for 2024.
In September, the Institute organized training sessions on ethical communication for communicators from Ghana’s political parties. These sessions were very successful, with many participants expressing newfound appreciation for the value of Public Relations and the significance of ethical communication. Participants pledged to apply the knowledge gained for the benefit of themselves, their political parties, and the country as a whole.
These initiatives are part of the Institute’s mission to help the public recognize the value that Public Relations brings to society and to promote healthy relationships within communities, across nations, and among individuals.
The President of IPR Ghana, Esther A.N. Cobbah, emphasised the importance of truthfulness, stating, “Human beings can be moved to act in destructive ways based on falsehood, and so it is essential that everyone, particularly political communicators, recognises their duty to uphold truth for the good of society.”
She added, “In an election year, everyone wants to promote the case for their respective parties and candidates. However, if we disregard the truth, we risk undermining the entire foundation of our society. Democracy is at stake when there is no respect for truth in the contest between parties.”
