Dr. Joshua Zaato, a governance and public policy analyst, has raised strong concerns over the reported existence of a government-initiated WhatsApp platform that allegedly includes journalists, civil society actors, and officials from key accountability institutions.
Speaking on the Asaase Breakfast Show on Monday (8 December), Dr Zaato said although collaboration between state institutions and non-state actors is normal, the secrecy surrounding the platform’s creation and membership raises questions about transparency and potential undue influence.
“There is constant interaction among institutions in any governance ecosystem. That is normal,” he explained.
“But the issue here is: who created the platform, why was it kept secret, and what else was discussed beyond the stated purpose?”
“An attempt at secrecy”
Dr Zaato argued that the manner in which the platform emerged gives the impression of concealment, which contradicts the principles of transparency expected in anti-corruption reforms.
“If the government had announced that a working group had been formed and disclosed who was on it, we wouldn’t be here,” he said. “Sometimes the secrecy itself is the problem.”
He called for full disclosure of the membership list to allow the public—and analysts—to assess whether individuals on the platform had shown patterns of political alignment in their public actions.
“Publish the names. Let us see which judges, which CSOs, which journalists are on it. Then we can analyse whether there is a correlation between their participation and how they’ve exercised their roles,” Dr Zaato said.
Threats to independence
He warned that even the perception of closeness between government and accountability institutions can erode trust in their independence.
“Already, people are asking whether this is why we aren’t seeing strong pushback from CSOs or robust oversight from independent bodies,” he noted.
“It creates the impression of coziness—of a relationship that should not be too comfortable.”
Dr Zaato further suggested the controversy reflects a broader “hunger for power and control”, alleging that the government may be seeking to influence CSOs, journalists, or judicial actors.
How many platforms exist?
He also questioned whether additional undisclosed platforms may exist.
“This is the one we’ve heard of. How many more are out there? Who is on them? What do they discuss? These are serious questions,” he stressed.
Dr Zaato said only full transparency from government can restore public confidence.
Source: metrotvonline.com
