Banjul, 11th March 2025: The Head of Communications Division at ECOWAS has pointed out for some time now, ECOWAS has been seriously confronted with the problems of misinformation, disinformation and fake news, which he affirmed threaten the stability of institutions and ECOWAS member states.
Mr. Joel Ahofodji made this remark recently in Nigeria, where forty journalists from broadcast, print and online media attended a two-day training, organised by the ECOWAS Commission, in partnership with the Centre for Journalism Innovation & Development (CJID) and the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), with technical and financial support from the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).
This training, Mr. Ahofodji explained came at an important time for the ECOWAS region, as the need arose for mobilisation of all stakeholders to combat this scourge and promote the integrity of information in their regional space.
“The training will provide media professionals with the essential tools they need to promote news and messages that not only inform the public but also reinforce the truth, present facts that counter misinformation in the region and safeguard democracy,” said Mr Ahofodji.
The ECOWAS Commission and the German Cooperation are partnering with the media to improve the skills of journalists and media professionals on fact-checking, Media Information Literacy (MIL) and promoting information integrity in the ECOWAS region.
The engagement with the media is in line with promoting ECOWAS Vision 2050 - A community of peoples fully integrated in a peaceful, prosperous region, with strong institutions that respect fundamental freedoms and work for inclusive and sustainable development.
The ECOWAS Commission recognises the critical role the media plays in fostering peace, stability, and social cohesion. Given the negative impact of misinformation, disinformation, and the rising.
Similar training will be conducted in other ECOWAS member countries within this year.
By Lamin B. Darboe
ECOWAS Head of Comms Warns Misinformation, Disinformation Could Threaten Regional Stability
