Centre holds fact-check training to promote correctness in media reporting

The Premium Times Centre for Investigative Journalism (PTCIJ) an NGO, on Tuesday began its 2021 Dubawa’s Kwame Kakari Fact-checking Fellowship Training to promote correctness of media reporting.

In a statement in Abuja, Mr Temilade Onilede, Programme Officer of Dubawa PTCIJ said the programme which was focused on training of journalists, would run for six months.

“Dubawa fact-checking and research fellowship” was the third edition in its series of trainings organised for journalists by PTCIJ with support from National Endowment for Democracy.

“The aim of the fact-checking fellowship is to tackle misinformation and hold political elites accountable for their words and actions.

“Also, to expand the reach of verified information to grassroots communities that are targeted constituencies for political, social and cultural disinformation, so they are adequately equipped to hold political elites accountable,” Onilede said.

He said the fact-checking programme which began on Tuesday, would end in November, and would involve participants in a four-day virtual training boot camp.

Onilede noted that the fact-checking training was expected to promote accurate and balanced reporting and tackle issues bordering growth of journalism in Nigeria.

The fact-checking and research fellowship programme was named after Prof. Kwame Karikari, a former professor at School of Communication, University of Ghana and, founder, Media Foundation for West Africa.