By Kumba Leigh
Gambia is facing the convergence of misinformation and disinformation crises that threaten to undo, and delay growth of national development, and decades in progress of democracy, and good governance.
The ubiquitous use of technology has enhanced the creation and use of social media platforms, and online services including those of banking and finance; but it has also enabled the emergence of all sorts of vulnerabilities and spread of vices, exacerbated by information disorder, which is threatening national peace.
This reality check is motivated the Ministry of Information, Media and Broadcasting Services to partner with Wave Gambia and other stakeholders to initiate nationwide information campaign against disinformation and misinformation. This is deemed timely and necessary considering the country is heading into an election year.
The team, over the weekend, travelled to Kerewan and Kaur, in the North Bank Region, where they engaged community members about the need to be cautious of misinformation and disinformation.
Mr Lamin Saidykhan, Governor of North Bank Region, said information is powerful and the manner it is presented would determine the impact when disseminated. “Thus, people need to be sensitised but they should equally be conscious of the way they put information on social platforms,” he advised.
The Governor expressed appreciation to the Ministry of Information, Media and Broadcasting Services, and partners for such initiative.
Muhammed S. Bah, one of the facilitators of the campaign, affirmed that the exercise is about awareness creation on information disorder, and discussion how people receive, share and analysed manipulated information or create content.
This is a reality in our society. People should be aware of mis-disinformation and hate speech. They should be empowered with the necessary knowledge and skills to be able to identify malicious information; be able to verify and be critical to any information they come across”.
The North Bank engagement saw the participation of the Kaur Youth Organisation, Governor of North Bank Region, Alkalolu of Kerewan, and Badibu Saaba, students, religious leaders, women leaders and other community representatives.
