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Some young community members in the coastal area of the Western and Northern Zones who hitherto could not put together news stories and identify fake news can now do so courtesy the Czech Republic and Youth Bridge Foundation.

The two-day youth focused training also armed indigenes on how to identify news worthy developmental issues and report on them in a more youth friendly way.

After a study conducted by Youth Bridge Foundation during the 2020 general elections, it was revealed that about 90 percent of the youth across Ghana rely on the media to access information.

The research also indicated a direct link between misinformation mostly through the media and the inability of young people to access and participate in development-oriented processes.

While the report found gaps in reporting developmental issues in a youth friendly manner, it also highlighted a weak capacity to comprehend complex economic, public and broader developmental issues.

Speaking at the training session in Tamale, Deputy Head of Mission, Embassy of the Czech Republic in Accra, Matej Denk espoused the collaboration between Youth Bridge Foundation and his Mission adding the training is important owing to the myriad of fake news stories that continue to travel the media landscape.

Matej Denk expressed worry at the phenomenon which he said has gained notoriety not only in Ghana but globally and has become an affront to peace and security. 

He expressed confidence in the ability of participants to become agents of change in their communities and deal with threats of fake news.

Participants were taken through how in their modest ways, citizen Journalism can influence decision makers and create change as well as guidance on how to gather information and share developmental challenges within their communities including how to identify fake news.