One hundred and fifty journalists selected from across the 16 regions of Ghana will from March 13 to March 31, 2023, nationwide training workshops on Fact-checking and countering mis-disinformation.
The selected participants comprise at least 40 percent females, including morning show hosts, editors, English and local language reporters with priority given to journalists working with media organisations based in districts that share boundaries with Togo, Burkina Faso and Cote d’Ivoire.
Participants will reflect on the phenomenon of mis-disinformation and its impact on peace, stability and democratic consolidation in Ghana. They will be exposed to concepts such as information disorder, fake news, misinformation; disinformation; their manifestations, and how they impact peace and democratic governance. The hands-on component of the training workshops will provide participants with the requisite skills to use some fact-checking/verification tools to identify, analyse content and produce fact-checked reports that counter mis-disinformation.
The workshops are being held simultaneously in Ho, Kumasi, Accra and Tamale as part of the MFWA’s project titled: Countering Mis-disinformation and propaganda narratives through fact-checking and media campaigns. The project is funded by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office of the United Kingdom.
Under the project, 20 local-based radio stations are also being supported to carry out public education programmes on the phenomenon of mis/disinformation, especially for the populations in border districts in Ghana. The ultimate goal is to increase public awareness and knowledge on the phenomenon of mis/disinformation to help counter its effects on state security and governance.
“Despite the positive utility of social media, it is regrettable that a number of internal and external actors are increasingly resorting to the use of misinformation and disinformation for propaganda which continues to pose a significant threat to elections, stability of countries, health care delivery and governance systems and democratic consolidation,” said Ms. Abigail Larbi-Odei, Programme Manager, Media and Good Governance.
“This project, therefore, seeks to build and strengthen an ecosystem for countering the proliferation of mis/disinformation and propaganda narratives of all kinds and sources. An ecosystem where journalists have enhanced knowledge of mis-disinformation and the skills for analysing content and producing public education radio programmes for countering mis/disinformation,” She added.
Also, as part of the project, a national-level forum on the theme: Misinformation, Peace and Democratic Consolidation in Ghana will be held on March 22, 2023, at the Alisa Hotel in Accra Ghana. The Forum will be organised in collaboration with the National Peace Council and Ghana’s media regulator, the National Media Commission.