CRS official with Journalists and other stakeholders in Tamale
Catholic Relief Services(CRS), has organized a training workshop for selected journalists in Tamale in the Northern region on Prevention of Violent Extremism.
Catholic Relief Services received funding from the Netherlands Embassy in Ghana to implement the PoVETSA project in partnership with the National Peace Council.
The project seeks to enhance a trust-building mechanism for Ghanaian national peace-building institutions, Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), security services, and civilians.
PoVETSA is centered on the premise of a vibrant peacebuilding infrastructure and civil society sector to empower a social contract that ensures an improved relationship between communities and the security services for the prevention of violent extremism.
Madam Alisa Mogre, Program Manager, Youth, and Peace Building, CRS, noted that the media training is aimed at strategically building consensus and trust to improve the media-security agency relationship toward preventing violent extremism in Ghana.
“CRS is committed to peacebuilding efforts, and this is seen through our effective partnerships and programming areas that address and mitigate emerging threats of Violent Extremism in the region. Since its inception in Ghana in 1958, CRS has carried out several interventions on peacebuilding”.
According to her, the PoVETSA project is building on the gains of the Sahel Peace Initiative (SPI) which addresses the rising security crisis in West Africa’s Sahel Region.
“We are gathered here today to address a critical challenge facing our society and the world at large. As members of the media, you play a pivotal role in shaping public opinion and disseminating information. This responsibility becomes even more significant when it comes to preventing violent extremism, which poses a serious threat to societies at large”.
“Today’s training is not just about acquiring knowledge; it’s about cultivating an understanding of your role in preventing violent extremism and, ultimately, helping to build a safer, more inclusive world. We will explore various aspects of this complex issue, from understanding violent extremism to conflict-sensitive reporting”.
She stated that they aim to equip journalists with the necessary skills, insights, and tools to fulfill their role as informed journalists.
“We will delve into the importance of balanced and responsible reporting, the power of narrative, and how the media can foster social cohesion and resilience against violent extremism. Throughout the training, we will engage in discussions, share best practices, and learn from experts and each other. By the end of this session, you will have a deeper understanding of your role in the fight against violent extremism, and you will be better prepared to report on this issue with sensitivity and accuracy”.
Dr. Felix Longi, Senior Lecturer, UDS, took journalists through concepts of violence and terrorism as well as a contextual overview of violence extremism, and terrorism in Ghana while Nuhu Abukari, Deputy Director of Programmes, Northern Regional Peace Council also took journalists through conflict transformation as a response to preventing violent extremism in Ghana.
Madam Bushira Alhassan, Department of Gender, also had an interaction with journalists on Gender and Violent Extremism and Terrorism with Mr. Maaweh Tanga, Communications Officer, CRS taking journalists through Media and Violent Extremism and Terrorism.
Mr. Christopher Amoako Mensah, TV3 Northern Regional Correspondent who spoke on behalf of the journalists thanked CRS and its partners for the training and that the training will greatly impact the work of journalists in the region on issues of violent extremism.
“We used to hear issues of Violent extremism actions from far away but it appears it’s glaring at us now. As a ejournalist the need for information dissemination and awareness creation is key in getting the citizens informed”.
He said the media and various stakeholders including the security agencies must collaborate to provide platforms for awareness creation on prevention of violent extremism.
BY Eric Kombat, Tamale