'You become the nation’s steady hand when you report truthfully during tension' — National Security, media renew vows

The National Security Coordinator, COP Abdul-Osman Razak, has urged journalists to uphold responsible journalism by verifying information, ensuring fair and balanced reporting, and prioritising accountability over sensationalism to help protect the peace and security of the country.

Addressing journalists at a capacity training workshop organised by the Private Newspapers and Online News Publishers Association of Ghana (PRINPAG) in Accra, COP Abdul-Osman said responsible journalism was particularly important because the media formed part of the country’s security architecture and served as an important source of open-source intelligence for the intelligence community.

According to the National Security Coordinator, the country’s security institutions were concerned about media reportage because a free and responsible press could contribute significantly to national security.

He said accurate and responsible reporting, particularly during periods of tension, could help calm the public and prevent misinformation from escalating into conflict.

“This is because when the press reports truthfully in moments of tension, it becomes the nation’s steady hand,” he added.

COP Abdul-Osman urged journalists to ensure that their reports informed the public, exposed wrongdoing without inflaming tensions or putting lives at risk, and held authorities accountable without weakening the institutions they sought to strengthen.

“Responsible journalism is built on verified truth, represents all stakeholders fairly, and emphasises accountability over sensationalism. This type of journalism informs without provoking, exposes wrongdoing without risking lives, and holds authority accountable without weakening the very institutions we intend to entrench and empower. We are just saying, do it responsibly,” he said.

The National Security Coordinator stressed that the information space was as critical to national security as Ghana’s borders, airspace and territorial waters, making responsible journalism an essential component of the country’s security architecture.

“Why should the National Security Council concern itself with this? It has to because the information space is as much a part of the nation’s security terrain as the borders, the airspace and waters,” he stated.

Democracy and national security
COP Abdul-Osman described Ghana’s democratic stability as a major national asset that must be protected, particularly as several countries in the region continue to face security challenges.

“If Ghana’s democracy remains outstanding in a region of coups, it is in no small measure because at decisive moments the press has chosen responsibility,” he said.

The National Security Coordinator explained that the security services employed both kinetic and non-kinetic approaches to deal with threats, educate the public and engage communities to address vulnerabilities that could be exploited by extremist groups.

He also urged journalists to exercise caution when reporting on sensitive matters involving religion and ethnicity, warning that extremist groups could exploit grievances and perceptions of discrimination or unfair treatment as recruitment tools.

According to him, extremist groups could initially portray themselves as philanthropists by providing social amenities such as schools and hospitals before seeking support for their wider agendas.

He consequently encouraged journalists to regard security personnel as partners in national development while continuing to perform their watchdog role and hold security institutions accountable.

He therefore offered to strengthen collaboration between the security agencies and the media through regular training programmes and sustained engagements.