The Upper West Regional Peace Council (UWRPC), in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) under the Preventing and Responding to Violent Extremism in the Atlantic Corridor Project, with funding support from the Governments of Norway and Denmark, has trained 45 media practitioners, religious leaders, women and youth representatives, traditional leaders and Assembly Members from Sissala East Municipality and Sissala West District on fact-checking, harmful information, hate speech and alternative narratives.
The two-day workshop, held in Tumu, emphasised the importance of verifying information before sharing or acting on it, particularly information capable of generating fear, anger, suspicion or conflict. The key message from the training was clear: Stop. Check. Verify. Then Share
Participants drawn from Gwollu, Puzene, Kupulima, Fatchu, Fielmuo, Wuru and Tumu shared real-life experiences that demonstrated the dangers of acting on unverified information.
In one incident, a rumour that an Assembly Member had hidden 100 bags of government fertilizer intended for farmers reportedly caused angry residents to go to his residence. No fertilizer was found, and the Assembly Member was not even in the community. In another case, reports of “several gunshots” sparked fears that armed rebels were approaching a community. An Assembly Member who went to verify the report discovered that the sounds had come from a hunter. The incidents reinforced the central message of the training: rumours can quickly become perceived facts when information is not verified. Verify before you share
Lead facilitator, Prof. Samuel Marfo, urged participants, particularly media practitioners and community leaders, to make verification a first response rather than an afterthought.
He cautioned against relying on rumours, anonymous claims and unverified social media posts, stressing the need to check sources, seek corroborating evidence and hear from all relevant sides before publishing, broadcasting or sharing information.
The training also examined misinformation, disinformation and mal-information, hate speech and the ways harmful information can contribute to insecurity and violent extremism.
Participants noted that false or misleading information can spread rapidly through WhatsApp, Facebook, TikTok, community radio and other platforms, often reaching a large audience before the facts are established.
They were encouraged to ask basic questions before sharing information: Who is the source? Is the source credible? Can the claim be independently verified? What evidence supports it? Is there another side to the story?
A participant summed up the challenge by observing that “most false information spreads quickly before verification.”
Community action
The workshop culminated in the development of Community Action Plans to strengthen local fact-checking and rumour-tracking mechanisms.
Proposed actions include community sensitisation at chiefs’ palaces and community centres, strengthening women’s and community groups to identify harmful information, and promoting a culture of verification before information is forwarded, broadcast or acted upon.
The objective is to enable communities to identify, verify and address potentially harmful information before it escalates into tension or conflict.
The Wuru community also provided a practical lesson on the importance of verification. According to the Wuru Assembly Member, Sullemane, community members and immigration officers apprehended 17 Burkinabe nationals who had reportedly entered the community in civilian clothing with weapons concealed in two vehicles. The individuals were later confirmed to be genuine military personnel and were returned to Burkina Faso.
The incident highlighted the need for communities and security actors to remain vigilant while ensuring that information is properly verified before conclusions are drawn or communicated to the wider public.
The training was chaired by the UWRPC Chairman, Ven. Fr. Dr. Moses Z. Banungwiiri.
The Regional Executive Secretary of the UWRPC said the initiative formed part of the Council’s commitment to a locally owned and culturally sensitive approach to peacebuilding, using trusted community voices to strengthen social cohesion and resilience.
He noted that the Upper West Region’s proximity to the Sahel and the changing security environment along the Atlantic Corridor made responsible information management increasingly important.
The Peace Council says participants are expected to become peace ambassadors, using community radio, traditional institutions, faith networks and social media to promote fact-checking, tolerance, peaceful coexistence and positive narratives.
By Pontianus Aabe-inir, Tumu, Upper West Region
