President John Dramani Mahama has stated that Ghana will become the first African country to make a financial contribution to the International Fund for Public Interest Media.
The gesture reflects Ghana’s conviction that independent journalism and reliable information are indispensable public goods.
The President said this at the closing ceremony of the High-Level International Conference on Information Integrity and Independent Media in Paris on Wednesday.
“I am proud to declare that Ghana will become the first African country to make a financial contribution to the International Fund for Public Interest Media. This gesture reflects our conviction that independent journalism and reliable information are indispensable public goods,” he said.
The President called for translating shared ideals into tangible action.
“The time has come for all of us to translate our shared ideals into tangible action, to demonstrate genuine commitment to supporting public interest media and safeguarding the integrity of information,” he stated.
President Mahama noted that the conference endorsed the Paris Declaration on Multilateral Action for Information Integrity and Independent Media.
“The endorsement of the Paris Declaration on Multilateral Action for Information Integrity and Independent Media, reaffirming our collective commitment to free, independent, and pluralistic information ecosystems,” he said.
He added that the conference was not about talk alone but produced tangible outcomes.
“This conference has not been about talk alone. Tangible outcomes have emerged,” he stated.
The President announced that renewed political and financial commitments have been made to replenish the International Fund for Public Interest Media, targeting €130 million between 2026 and 2028 to support independent journalism worldwide.
He also revealed that Ghana has formally decided to assume full membership in the Partnership for Information and Democracy.
“I am pleased to announce that Ghana has formally decided to assume full membership in the Partnership for Information and Democracy. This decision has been officially communicated through the appropriate diplomatic channels, affirming Ghana’s unwavering commitment to the principles of transparency, accountability, and open governance,” he said.
President Mahama stated that Ghana’s decision sends a clear message to the international community.
“Our landmark decision sends a clear message to the international community that Ghana remains steadfast in advancing the frontiers of freedom, upholding the rule of law, and serving as a model nation in promoting democracy and good governance,” he stated.
He emphasized that independent journalism is not a luxury but a public good.
“Independent journalism is not a luxury; it is a public good. When journalists can investigate freely, societies flourish. When truth is defended, peace is preserved. And when citizens can access reliable information, democracy endures,” he said.
The President noted that the world must invest in truth as deliberately as it invests in infrastructure, energy, or defense.
“The message from this conference is unmistakable: that the world must invest in truth as deliberately as it invests in infrastructure, energy, or defense. The cost of inaction will be far greater than the cost of commitment,” he stated.
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