By Anthony Adongo Apubeo, GNA
Kansogo (U/E), Aug. 20, GNA – Residents of Kansogo in the Bawku West District have been urged to question, counter and verify information received through social media, to prevent misinformation, hate speech and violent extremist narratives from creating fear, division and conflict in the community.
Mr David Angaamba, the Principal Programme Manager at the Upper East Regional office of the National Peace Council, said the fight against violent extremism required the active participation of community members because residents were often the first to notice unusual activities and developments.
He said violent extremist groups could exploit social media platforms to spread messages aimed at influencing vulnerable people, particularly the youth without necessarily having a physical presence in the community.
Mr Angaamba at a community sensitisation programme at Kansogo on preventing and responding to violent extremism, said the activity formed part of the third-quarter events of the Atlantic Corridor Project.
It aimed at preventing and responding to violent extremism, with funding support from the Governments of Denmark and Norway through the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
The engagement followed the training of members of the Kansogo Local Peace Committee and was aimed at extending knowledge on violent extremism, hate speech and harmful online narratives to the wider community.
Mr Damien Asobayire, the Upper East Regional Executive Secretary of the Peace Council, said community members had an important role to play in the prevention of violent extremism by serving as early warning monitors.
He urged residents to report suspicious activities rather than confronting suspected persons themselves, noting that timely information could help the appropriate authorities to respond before a situation escalated.
The sensitisation attracted more than 200 residents, with 80 per cent of them being women.
Mr Asobayire said the high participation of women demonstrated their important role in preventing the spread of harmful narratives within families and communities.
He urged residents to verify information before sharing it, particularly messages capable of generating hatred, fear or mistrust among individuals and groups.
He also encouraged residents to be vigilant and report suspicious persons and activities to members of the Local Peace Committee or the appropriate security agencies rather than taking matters into their own hands.
Ms Faustina Ndago, a participant, said the programme had given women greater awareness of how false information and hate speech could create tensions in communities.
“Whenever there is conflict, women are always the most affected, and so with the knowledge gained from the sensitisation, it will not only help us to be vigilant but also equip us with the knowledge on how to live peacefully with our families,” she stated.
Mr Ayamga Musah, another participant, commended the Peace Council for the engagement, noting that his participation in the sensitisation had made him realise that young people needed to be particularly careful about information they encountered on social media and should verify such information before sharing it.
GNA
Edited by Caesar Abagali/ Christabel Addo
Reporter: Anthony Adongo Apubeo
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