The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), supported by Japan, has equipped 25 journalists and bloggers from Ghana’s Upper East and Savannah Regions with critical fact-checking and conflict-reporting skills.
The two-day workshop in Tamale, part of UNDP Ghana’s “Preventive Approach to Protecting Development in the Gulf of Guinea,” aimed to counter misinformation driving violence in fragile communities.
Melody Azinim, UNDP Ghana’s Peace and Governance Analyst, emphasized the media’s peacebuilding role, urging participants to prioritize verified information and sensitivity in conflict coverage. “In contexts of ethnic tension or political rivalry, credible reporting isn’t just ethical it saves lives,” she noted during the training.
Albert Futukpor, Northern Regional Secretary of the Ghana Journalists Association, warned that unverified content threatens social cohesion.
“Fake news and inflammatory narratives spread faster than ever,” he stated, stressing that accuracy and impartiality are non-negotiable, especially when covering chieftaincy disputes, land conflicts, or elections. He challenged attendees to reject sensationalism: “We are gatekeepers of truth, not amplifiers of division.”
Participants committed to applying the techniques to mitigate risks in Ghana’s northern regions, where communal tensions occasionally flare.
The training highlighted practical tools for debunking false claims while ensuring balanced representation of conflicting viewpoints. Futukpor concluded, “Elevating journalism standards defends both peace and sustainable development.”
