MFWA trains 25 selected journalists from 3 regions on conflict sensitive reporting and fact-checking in Tamale
The Media Foundation for West Africa has organised a two-day training for 25 selected journalists on Capacity Building to Enhance Media’s Role in Conflict Resolution, Peacebuilding and Democratic Consolidation in Ghana Through Peace Journalism, and Fact-Based Conflict-Sensitive Reporting in Tamale. The 25 journalists and media practitioners were drawn the Bono, Savannah and Northern regions.
The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) is implementing a 12-month project to empower 100 journalists from over 50 news media organisations and five (5) fact-checkers across seven regions in Ghana to enhance their capacity to publish fact-based media content that promote peace, community resilience and democratic values. The Regions are Northern, Savannah, Upper East, Upper West, North East and Bono East. The project titled “Enhancing the Media’s Role in Conflict Resolution, Peacebuilding and Democratic Consolidation in Ghana” is being funded by the US Embassy, Ghana.
Dr. Kojo Impraim, Programme director, Media for Peace and Sustainable Development at the Media Foundation for West Africa told journalists that, the project is a twelve month-long initiative that seeks to train 100 journalists across the country. He said the purpose of the training objective to enhance the media’s role in promoting peace, community resilience and peaceful democratic elections in Ghana.
“We are having this training to enhance the knowledge of journalists on security to enable them use their platforms to preach peace message and conflict sensitive reporting and to also produce fact-based reporting” he said.
He added “considering the security profile of the Northern enclave compared to the Southern hemisphere, the North is quite vulnerable and that influence their decision to settle on the North for the training”.
He urged politicians that “building armies of social media networks would not help this Country” adding that “election is about who to win and who to lose but not who to die for who”
On his part, Bishop Prof. Albert Luguterah, a Board Member of the Northern Regional Peace Council, charged journalists to counter report issues with facts to prevent misinformation.
“We encourage the media to counter report issues with facts especially when they get their direct sound bites and videos to ensure that no politician misinforms the public to cause mayhem.
Source: Zaaradio.com/Yakubu Abdul-Wahab Yumzaa