Accra: FactSpace West Africa has partnered with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) to train its journalists in fact-checking and addressing information disorder. The two-day training, held in Accra, aims to equip editorial staff with advanced fact-checking tools and deepen awareness of the dangers misinformation and disinformation pose to journalism and public trust.
According to Ghana News Agency, the training is not just about sharpening skills, but also about deepening commitment to truth and accuracy, which is the foundation of credible journalism. Madam Beatrice Akua Nyarkoa Asamani-Savage, Director of Editorial at GNA, emphasized the critical role journalists play in verifying and presenting accurate information, particularly in an era where misinformation spreads rapidly.
She highlighted the significant responsibility of GNA as a primary source for other media outlets, noting that any errors can multiply across the entire information chain. Madam Asamani-Savage urged participants to prioritize accuracy over the urge to be first, stressing the importance of vigilance with news leads from social media and other unverified sources.
As Ghana's leading state-owned news organization, GNA plays a crucial role in shaping national discourse and delivering reliable information to citizens. However, the increasing presence of misinformation, disinformation, and malinformation poses a threat to trust in journalism, democratic governance, and social cohesion.
FactSpace West Africa, established in 2019 and a signatory to the International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN) Code of Principles, has extensive experience training journalists and media professionals across West Africa in fact-checking and digital verification. The organization has collaborated with partners such as MTN Ghana, Askanwi Media in The Gambia, and fact-checking networks in Liberia, Nigeria, and Sierra Leone to strengthen media resilience against information disorder.
During the training, journalists and editors were introduced to the fundamentals of fact-checking, focusing on identifying false and misleading information. They explored practical verification tools such as Google Lens, Yandex, TinEye, Wayback Machine, Ghost Archive, Webpage Archive, and InVID.
Miss Agnes Ansah, a Chief Reporter at GNA, expressed her satisfaction with the training, stating that she learned how to identify fake news using simple tools. Mr. James Amoh Junior, Social Media Lead and Chief Reporter at GNA, added that the training was valuable for enhancing his understanding of advanced verification tools necessary for a news agency journalist.
