Dubawa Building Communities to Fight Against Misinformation and Disinformation

DUBAWA is an independent, transparent, and non-partisan verification and fact-checking platform, initiated by the Premium Times Centre for Investigative Journalism (PTCIJ) in 2018.

In partnership with the US Embassy in Ghana and UniMAC - GIJ, Dubawa organized a symposium on misinformation to commemorate the 2023 International Fact-checking Day on Monday, 3rd April, 2023 at the UniMAC -  GIJ North Dzorwulu campus

Speaking at the event, Mr. Kevin J. Bresnahan, press attaché at the US embassy in Ghana said Dubawa aims to fight against misinformation and promote accurate information.

He gave some examples of how communities are fighting against misinformation and educating people on how to identify misinformation. Some organizations and individuals are teaching people how to identify misinformation, such as checking the source, cross-referencing with other credible sources, and looking for evidence to support claims.

In his keynote address Mr Alfred Ocansey, a newscaster at Media General talked about measures to combat misinformation and disinformation. He said fact-checking organizations are working to verify the information and debunk misinformation in real time. These organizations use different methods, such as monitoring social media, analyzing news reports, and conducting independent investigations.

According to him, what has been called fake news is oftentimes called not newsworthy. “Don't sacrifice accuracy for speed”, he stated.

According to Kwaku Krobea Asante, Programmes Officer of the Media Foundation for West Africa, media information literacy is low and political indulgences have made misinformation pervasive in the country.

Mr. Asante advised that although a multiplicity of news sources influences the media's quest for getting information, acknowledging and correcting mistakes promptly is the way to go.

“If you realize that you have published inaccurate information, be transparent about it and correct it as soon as possible”, he added.

He encouraged the student journalists of UniMAC to build trust and credibility with their audience and promote a culture of accountability and transparency

Report by: Naa Norley Nortey, Sally Borketey la and Christabel Adama, Level 300 Broadcast Journalism Students, UniMAC - NAFTI