By Haruna Kuyateh
The National Council for Civic Education (NCCE), with support from the European Union (EU) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) under the Great Initiative for Strengthening Peace, Justice and Democracy (GREAT) Project, has conducted a capacity-building training for influencers and stakeholders aimed at promoting positive civic engagement.
The training, held in Kerewan and Farafenni in the North Bank Region, was organised under the theme: “Strengthening Influencer Networks for Inclusive Civic Engagement and Sustainable Outreach.”
Mamadou A. Bah, Senior Programme Officer at the NCCE, said the engagement was designed to help build a society where citizens can exercise their civic responsibilities freely and confidently ahead of the December 5 polls and beyond.
He stressed that influencers have an important role to play in civic education by helping citizens verify information and combat misinformation, disinformation and fake news to ensure meaningful participation in democratic processes.
Bah said the training would contribute to building public trust, encouraging citizens to speak against falsehoods and promoting peace, integrity, transparency, accountability and inclusiveness.
He urged participants to support the campaign slogan “Stop Misinformation and Embrace Tolerance” as part of efforts to protect democratic values.
Ansumana Yarbou, Programme Officer at the NCCE, expressed appreciation to the EU-UNDP GREAT Project for supporting the outreach programme, noting that the initiative would help reduce political violence and promote tolerance.
He called on participants to intensify awareness campaigns aimed at countering fake news and encouraging citizens to verify information before sharing it, in order to strengthen good governance and accountability.
Madam Ngui Secka, Regional Chairperson of the Inter-Party Committee in the North Bank Region and a member of the National Reconciliation Party (NRP), alongside Yaya Fofana of the People’s Democratic Independence Organisation for Social Justice (PDOIS), commended the NCCE for its continued efforts in empowering citizens on civic and constitutional rights.
They said strengthening influencer networks would enhance public understanding of misinformation, disinformation and fake news, while encouraging people to rely on credible sources before disseminating information.
Ebrima S. Njie of Sunu Side Online and Alhaji Sainey Dibba, Manager of Farafenni Community Radio, described the training as timely and important, urging media practitioners, content creators and influencers to uphold fact-checking practices before publishing or sharing information.
They emphasised that responsible information sharing remains critical to maintaining peace, social cohesion and democratic stability.
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