Information Ministry reprimanded for gross insincerity

An attempt by the Ministry of Information to discredit a publication by 3news.com reproduced on Ghanaweb.com has been vehemently criticized by some Ghanaians who were witnesses to the incident reported by the portals.

The said publication made at 7:49 am on Friday, April 24 with the headline ‘Relevant data wiped off from Ghana’s Coronavirus official website’ stated that

Read full articlethe government had wiped off relevant information on Ghana’s coronavirus situation from the official website launched to update Ghanaians on the outbreak of the virus which has so far infected over 1,000 people.

The development came two days after widespread claims that the government has been massaging the release of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the country.

The homepage which sits on the Ghana Health Service official website, had been wiped almost clean with only the total number of confirmed cases in the country showing. Prior to Thursday, it had relevant information including the graphical and geographical breakdown of the cases as recorded in all affected regions. It also had statistics and data regarding which age group and gender is mostly being affected.

A tweet from the Information Ministry, Friday, however, described the publication as false, asking the public to disregard it. The tweet was made few minutes after the Ghana Health Service website was updated with figures of Ghana’s situation as regards the pandemic. It was evident the website had a completely new outlook; one more engaging and with clearer details.

“This story by Ghanaweb is false. All previous updates of the Ghana Health Service on COVID-19 are accessible on the organization’s website,” the ministry’s tweet read.

But tweeps in their replies suggested to the ministry to not distort facts because they also could not access the information as reported by 3news.com and Ghanaweb.com.

Here are a few!

In some case, it's not false. For some time now when I go to the website, i only see the total cases.

No. of deaths and other breakdowns were no more there..
It's only today I'm seeing them with even more info added.

— Winfred ? (@yawwinfred) April 24, 2020

Actually it’s not false. The site was displaying just the confirmed number at a point. It appears the site has been updated. Their reportage wasn’t false. I witnessed it too @moigovgh

— Phil_j (@Phil_Jumpah) April 24, 2020

Are you interested in how covid19 related stories involving Ghana and Africa are being published in China for instance who have donated heavily towards our own cause? Do you think such reportage has a role to play in the now racist behaviour towards Afrians because of covid19?

— #abonsamcartoons (@brightackwerh) April 24, 2020

How false was it? The site was down for almost 48hrs and all data wiped, the update came a while ago.

— Daniels Hollie (@TheDanielHollie) April 24, 2020

Is not just from Ghana web Tv3 has confirmed it also what are u talking about? You guys challenged the 1000 Cases previously today we are at 1279 so what's the difference? Lets us think

— Alex (@Alex77215781) April 24, 2020

It was true.. only recorded cases where there as at yesterday.

— Hon. Sweet (@AbakanNana) April 24, 2020

Why is it that you are still lying whiles the Ghanaian people already know . what @tv3_ghana and @ghanaweb post is very much true. Cos for some days now the so call site wasnt opening. So stop the lying and defending and explain why.

— MaximusPreme???????????????? (@kojo_blueballs) April 24, 2020

Shameless people ! Ghana web was right I checked you guys just updated it. For how long can you keep hiding the real number? Time will telll

— Take over (@Takeove80378136) April 24, 2020

@ghanaians are not fools we only need the truth.

— MaximusPreme???????????????? (@kojo_blueballs) April 24, 2020

The site cant be reached anyway

— Dwightulysses (@Dwight_ulysses) April 24, 2020

Kindly counter with fact and not just say it's false. If its indeed false pls sue them...

— MicaiahTersia (@saxlyf) April 24, 2020

You guys are no longer trustable.First mandatory quarantine was 1030 now is 2000+.God is watching you

— Ernest Barlisto (@EBarlisto) April 24, 2020

Allow them to do their work.

— Fbappiah?????????????? (@Fbappiah2) April 24, 2020

It was very true. Probably u just changed it.

— Nelson Azumah Quin (@Naqcollections) April 24, 2020

The map and the statistics weren't there. You should have confirmed before

— Hon. Sweet (@AbakanNana) April 24, 2020

Keep on hiding the data behind complex web pages. Time would tell. What is this new thing you guys have done. Web pages taking longer to load.

— #Letdemsay (@Anocran) April 24, 2020

is the data there? and who did you inform that the data can be accessed using the link you provided, no one knew about that until now shame on you @moigovgh. please cut us a break

— ANLOGA JUNCTION (@MacAddey) April 24, 2020