By Jones Anlimah
Journalists, bloggers and communication professionals in the Volta Region have undergone intensive training in digital content creation and mini video blogging aimed at improving public understanding of free movement and migration within West Africa.
The workshop, held in Ho, forms part of Media Response’s Reframing Narratives on Free Movement and Migration in West Africa project, an initiative designed to equip media practitioners with the skills to report accurately, ethically and creatively on migration-related issues.
Communications Officer at Media Response, Deborah Enam Apetorgbor, said the training seeks to bridge the information gap surrounding the ECOWAS Free Movement Protocol.
“Many people don’t understand these provisions of the protocol, and so the training is basically to get the public, through media people, to understand the ECOWAS free movement protocol,” she explained.
She noted that while migration is often portrayed negatively, the reality is far more complex and beneficial to regional development.
“Migration contributes to national development. We are getting remittances from our people elsewhere, and they help in building and integrating communities across West Africa,” she added.
The workshop brought together participants from across border regions to strengthen their ability to use digital tools, including mobile journalism and mini video production, to tell compelling stories on migration and regional integration.
Volta Regional Chairman of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), Dr Harrison Kofi Belley, described the initiative as timely, given the growing influence of digital media on public discourse.
“This training workshop aims to equip journalists and media practitioners with the knowledge, ethical grounding, and practical digital skills necessary to produce accurate and compelling mini video content on free movement and migration in West Africa,” he said.
He stressed the need for balanced reporting, especially as misconceptions continue to shape public perceptions of migration.
According to Dr Belley, although media narratives often focus on migration to Europe, the majority of West African migrants move within the sub-region.
“About 72 percent of migrants from West Africa migrate intra-regionally, that is within the subregion,” he noted.
Participants welcomed the training, describing it as both timely and practical.
One participant said the workshop had enhanced their understanding of digital storytelling and ethical reporting.
“The training has been an eye-opener and a refresher course for some of us,” the participant said. “It has shaped my ideas on how to go about immigration storytelling going forward.”
Another attendee highlighted the importance of extending such capacity-building programmes to a wider audience.
“We shouldn’t just leave it here. We should go far and beyond to educate more,” the participant urged.
The Ho workshop is the second in a series, following an earlier session in Takoradi. A third training is scheduled for Bolgatanga as part of efforts to reach Ghana’s key border regions.
In addition to the workshops, the project will roll out a 10-week radio campaign in border communities including Elubo, Aflao and Paga, engaging immigration officials, traders, drivers and local residents in discussions on migration realities.
Organisers say the ultimate goal is to encourage factual, human-centred storytelling that counters misinformation and highlights the role of migration in fostering regional integration and economic growth across West Africa.
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Source:
www.gbcghanaonline.com