Action-Aid International–The Gambia (AAITTG) has recently concluded two concurrent three-day trainings on Non-Partisan Youth-Focused Civic Education and Election Reporting in the North Bank Region and Lower River Region of The Gambia.
The training brought together more than 50 journalists and social media influencers committed to promoting informed public dialogue and responsible election reporting.
Sulayman Ceesay, Communication Coordinator at Action-Aid International–The Gambia, said that journalists have critical roles to play in maintaining peace and disseminating the right information to both authorities and the general population.
“That’s why under the Youth Promotion Initiative (YPI) Project, we are organizing this training—to equip you with the required knowledge so you can do your work effectively, especially now that we are in an election period. We know there may be a lot of misinformation going around, and your roles as journalists will be very important in addressing those issues,” he said.
He explained that the training was organized under a project funded by the United Nations Peacebuilding Fund. He expressed optimism, noting: “We are in the final year of the project, and we believe that at the end of the project, we will definitely achieve our objectives.”
Ceesay acknowledged the continued cordial collaboration between Action-Aid and the media, expressing hope that the partnership would continue to excel.
Mamadou A.H. Bah, Senior Programme Officer at the NCCE and facilitator of the training, said: “This activity is not just timely; it comes at a point where there is so much information circulating across social media platforms during an election year. That’s why this is very important, because the role of the media is not just as messenger, but also as a bridge between citizens and institutions.”
He emphasized that the media are platforms where voices are amplified, helping to ensure transparency and strengthen citizen participation in governance.
“In times where misinformation can divide communities, responsible journalism and civic education together serve as pillars of peacebuilding and democratic resilience. Through responsible reporting and inclusive storytelling, media actors help communities understand governance processes, strengthen democratic participation, and foster accountability,” he said.
Bah added that the partnership between the media and civic educators ensures that information is accessible, empowering citizens to actively contribute to national development. He urged participants to reaffirm their collective commitment “to harness the power of media as a partner in civic education, to build an informed citizenry, and to nurture a culture of peace, participation, and dignity for all Gambians.”
Sang Mendy, Managing Director of MAJAC, challenged participants: “Election reporting should be issue-based, and those issues are what you’re supposed to be following. Issue-based reporting means focusing on the things the public actually wants to hear from politicians, not just waiting for politicians to say things to voters.”
He stressed that media practitioners should go to the voters, listen to their voices, and bring their expectations forward. “When politicians read that, they would include it in their campaign manifestos, and in their campaigns they would be mindful of what to say and what not to say,” he explained.
Mendy further noted that beyond reporting, misinformation, disinformation, and mal-information are rampant, and journalists are the ones who must protect the public from consuming such harmful content.
He highlighted the role of influencers, saying: “Influencers also come into play because of the way they shape decisions. If you influence decisions, the expectation is that you should be as ethical as journalists are, given the large number of followers you have.”
“So this training is very timely, apt, and crucial for you all. Apart from misinformation, disinformation, and mal-information, there is also hate speech, which is a cancer for every society. And all of us—you, the journalists most especially—should save this country from plunging into chaos,” he concluded.
