The Institute of Public Relations (IPR) Ghana has launched a five-week pre-election campaign aimed at contributing to peaceful elections this year.

The initiative, titled “Speak Truth for Peace,” encourages all Ghanaians, especially political communicators, to engage ethically in their political discourse. Aligned with the theme of its 50th-anniversary celebration, “Public Relations for Value Creation,” the Institute has chosen to focus on “Ethical Communication for Peacebuilding in an Election Year” as its primary objective for 2024.

In September this year, the Institute organised training sessions on ethical communication for communicators of Ghana’s political parties. These sessions were highly successful, with many participants expressing that they had gained a new appreciation for the value of Public Relations and the importance of ethical communication. Participants pledged to apply the knowledge acquired for the benefit of themselves, their political parties, and the country at large.

These initiatives by the Institute form part of its mission to help the public recognise the value that Public Relations brings to society and to fostering 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.”