The Private Newspapers and Online News Publishers Association of Ghana (PRINPAG), with support from the Ministry of Information, has trained selected journalists on fact-checking and election reporting, ahead of the December 7, 2024 election.
The two-day workshop was held at Somanya, in the Eastern Region on Thursday, September 12, and Friday, September 13, 2024.
The workshop, under the theme “Empowering Journalists for Credible Elections:
Enhancing Reporting and Fact-Checking Skills,” focused on equipping journalists with the skills necessary to be able to fact-check information, how and the need to report impartially on the upcoming elections.
EXPERT PRESENTATIONS
The Eastern Regional Director of the Electoral Commission, Mr. John Appiah Baffour, one of the resource persons, educated participants on the electoral system and process in Ghana.
He advocated collaboration between the EC and all stakeholders, including the media, to ensure peaceful elections.
He advised journalists against causing and fanning confusion but instead focus on providing accurate and clear information to the public.
A Political Science Lecturer at the University of Ghana, Dr. Kwame Asah-Asante, took participants through media ethics, particularly going into the elections.
The retired journalist urged his colleagues to remain objective in their election coverage and report accurately without being bias, but leave the readers or the public to make a conclusion from the report.
Kwaku Krobea Asante, Senior Programme Manager at the Media Foundation of West Africa, took participants through fact-checking, during which he guided participants on how to use technology to detect fake news.
The workshop, organised as part of PRINPAG’s ongoing efforts to prepare journalists for the December 2024 elections, aimed to ensure that the media plays a pivotal role in promoting transparency and accountability in the electoral process.
DANGERS
The Special Guest, the Minister for Information, Fatimatu Abubarkar, in her address to open the workshop underscored the dangers associated with misinformation and disinformation.
She pointed out that the phenomenon is a global threat and a canker to society that needs collective effort to address.
The minister pleaded with journalists to protect Ghana’s peace and stability through responsible reporting before, during, and after election periods and warned against allowing misinformation to fuel conflict, citing international examples where rumours led to violence.
Again, she emphasised the critical role of training in ensuring professional success, particularly for journalists reporting on elections.
The Municipal Chief Executive of the Yilo Krobo Assembly, Eric Tetteh, used the opportunity to market Somanya and appealed to participants to consider investing in the area, which he said is economically viable.
MEDIA ROLE
The President of PRINPAG, Andrew Edwin Arthur, in his address underscored the critical role the media plays in fostering peace, democracy and accountability.
He stressed the need for journalists to be professional and adhere to ethical reporting during the general elections.
He cautioned against tendencies that can potentially undermine the industry through “fragmentation, greed, self-aggrandisement, needless sensationalism and politicisation of the media.”
FACT-CHECKING
Executive Secretary of PRINPAG, Jeorge Wilson Kingson, mentioned the importance of fact-checking in an era of rampant misinformation.
He urged his colleagues to apply the techniques learnt during the workshop to ensure their reporting is accurate, impartial, and credible.
He mentioned that the workshop was part of PRINPAG’s broader effort to enhance professionalism in the media and ensure peaceful and credible elections in December.
