By Ewoenam Kpodo
Ho, April 30 (GNA) – About one hundred journalists, bloggers, and communication officers convened in Ho on Wednesday for a workshop that challenged them to abandon fear-based migration narratives and adopt evidence-based reporting on ECOWAS free movement.
Mr Samuel Dodoo, Executive Director of Media Response-Ghana, who made the call, said:
“Migration reporting must move from fear-based framing to evidence-based framing, from crisis narratives to development narratives, from generalisation to contextualisation, and from stigmatisation to human dignity.”
He delivered a presentation on Free Movement and Migration (FMM) trends in West Africa at a day’s training workshop on digital content creation and mini-video blogging. The training aimed to equip participants with practical skills and ethical grounding to produce accurate, compelling mini-videos that foster balanced public discourse and regional integration.
The workshop was organised by Media Response-Ghana under the FMM West Africa II Project, with support from FMM West Africa and ECOWAS. It was held under the theme: “Reframing Narratives on Free Movement and Migration in West Africa.”
Mr Dodoo’s presentation focused on strengthening understanding of the ECOWAS Free Movement framework, clarifying rights and obligations, highlighting actual migration trends in West Africa, and correcting common misconceptions in media reporting.
He warned that conflating documented ECOWAS travel with crime risked “criminalising lawful mobility, reinforcing xenophobia, and undermining regional policy.” He urged journalists to adopt more accurate framing, noting that instead of writing, “Foreigners smuggle themselves across border daily,” it would be more appropriate to report that “Cross-border traders utilise ECOWAS free movement provisions.”
“Equating free movement with trafficking creates fear-based narratives, misrepresents regional migration dynamics, discourages lawful mobility, and overshadows actual trafficking prevention efforts,” he said. He added that journalists must avoid using the term “trafficking” loosely, labeling all migrant journeys as exploitative, or publishing unverified claims.
Mr Dodoo stressed that “mobility rights and security obligations are not opposites — they are complementary,” explaining that “security ensures safe, orderly migration, while mobility drives trade, labour movement, and integration.”
“Free movement is a development framework. Smuggling and trafficking are crimes. Security is a responsibility. Our role as journalists is to distinguish clearly and report responsibly,” he concluded.
Deputy Superintendent of Immigration (DSI) Justice Kudzo Normeshie, Officer in Charge of the Anti-Human Smuggling and Trafficking in Persons Unit of the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) at Aflao, said ECOWAS member states must educate their citizens on the protocols, noting that there are no blanket provisions.
He highlighted categories such as prohibited migrants and outlined responsibilities imposed on migrants, including holding valid and endorsable travel documents and complying with the free movement protocol—namely the right of entry, residence, and establishment.
DSI Normeshie also urged media practitioners to familiarise themselves with the Immigration Act 2000 (Act 573) to enable them produce accurate and insightful reports on free movement within the sub-region, thereby indirectly supporting national security.
Dr Harrison Kofi Belley, Volta Regional Chairman of the Ghana Journalists Association, emphasised the timeliness of the project’s theme and its relevance to ongoing initiatives. He noted that media and political narratives often exaggerate mass migration from West Africa, thereby fueling misconceptions.
He touched on the historical context of human mobility in West Africa and the growing focus on migration governance, influenced by factors such as labour migration and forced displacement.
“While migration was historically seen as a developmental challenge, its potential to contribute to socio-economic development is now increasingly acknowledged,” he said.
Dr Belley urged journalists to participate fully in such initiatives to derive maximum benefit and contribute to balanced public discourse on migration and regional integration.
GNA
Edited by Maxwell Awumah/Audrey Dekalu