The Nasarawa State Government has trained journalists and information officers as part of its proactive effort to combat the spread of fake news and promote accurate reporting in the state.
The event, organised by the Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism in collaboration with the Conference for Civil Society for Transparency and Accountability is aimed at equipping participants with effective countermeasures against fake news.
Speaking at the event on Tuesday in Lafia, Ibrahim Uthman-Angbolo, Commissioner for Information, Culture, and Tourism, emphasised the importance of accurate and reliable reporting.
“Information has the power to inspire, educate, and unite, but it can also divide, mislead, and harm if not used properly,” he noted.
The commissioner praised journalists for their efforts in disseminating accurate information about the achievements of Governor Abdullahi Sule’s administration.
He assured that the government would continue to partner with the media to ensure that accurate information reaches the public.
“The spread of fake news has become a major challenge in our society today, and it is our responsibility to ensure that we provide accurate and reliable information to the public,” he said.
In his remarks, Danmusa Mohammed, Director of Information at the ministry thanked the participants for their active participation and urged them to use the takeaways to improve their reportage.
“We are committed to supporting the development of our information managers , and we will continue to provide training and capacity-building programs to enhance their skills and knowledge,” Mohammed added.
A paper presentation by Mr Allahnana Attah, titled “Unmasking Fake News: Effects on Society and Countermeasures,” shed light on the dangers of fake news.
Attah emphasised that fake news is misleading information presented as news, often spread to deceive, manipulate opinions, or make financial gains.
He added that fake news was as old as society and takes place, even in the family, but explained that the advent of digital platforms and social media had amplified its reach and impact.
“Some journalists use unverified news sources and spread fake neto to be relevant, make money, poor regulation of the internet, absence and late arrival of official site information and hostile government and civil actors among others,” he said.
Attah further said that fake news had caused a lot of havoc to the journalism profession over the years and undermined the confidence of the public of in the professionals.
He recommended that journalists should strengthen their verification protocols, promote media literacy, enforce laws to curb the spread of misinformation, and encourage ethical journalism to empower practitioners.
Also, Safianu Hassan, National Secretary of the conference for civil society said the collaboration was a testament of their collective commitment to fostering a society build on truth.
He added that fake news is not just a challenge, but a threat to unity, democracy and stability of the country hence the need for all hands to be on deck to tackle the menace.
The training had in attendance Salihu Mohammed-Alkali, Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), and Information Officers from the various Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs).
The participants were also allowed to share their experiences and challenges in reporting the news and to learn from each other. (www.krestnews.com).
Good effort by government but simple steps such as how persons and individuals can trace or identify fake news should be shared on social media for public awareness. Doing so will create public knowledge which can further enhance and nip fake news before it goes wild. Thanks.