NewsNigeriaPoliticsCDD Says Disinformation Threat To Democracy, Good Governance 

The rapid spread of disinformation has become a great concern to the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD) West Africa.

The organization, therefore, warned that if left unchecked, it could undermine democracy and good governance in the sub-region.

CDD West Africa Director Dr. Dauda Garuba, speaking at a regional conference in Lagos, organized in collaboration with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), stressed the urgent need for a collective effort to combat misinformation.

He warned that unchecked disinformation threatens democratic stability, public trust, and social cohesion.

 “At CDD, we strongly believe that tackling disinformation cannot be left to a single institution or government. It requires a joint effort involving governments, civil society, media, and technology platforms.

 “If we fail to address this growing challenge, it could undermine our collective efforts to uphold democracy and good governance in the region,” Garuba said.

On his part, Chioma Iruke, a disinformation analyst and fact-checker at CDD West Africa, highlighted the center’s efforts in verifying information, emphasizing their extensive network for cross-referencing claims.

“We have a network that allows us to verify disinformation beyond national borders, ensuring accurate reporting,” she said.

ECOWAS Head of Democracy and Good Governance, Ebenezer Asiedu, noted that various institutions and civil society organizations (CSOs) have intensified fact-checking initiatives to counter misinformation in West Africa.

“If false narratives are not debunked promptly, they could eventually be accepted as truth, making them harder to correct.

“Fact-checking mechanisms are essential for countering false narratives and preventing regional instability,” Asiedu said.

Another researcher and fact-checker, Ahmad Aluko, called for collaboration with ECOWAS, arguing that a regional approach would be more effective than isolated efforts.

“We need policies and frameworks that are tailored to our region’s unique challenges,” Aluko said.

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Hassan Umar Shallpella (Regional Correspondent)

Veteran journalist and recipient of A.B.C Yola, Reporter of the Year Award (1997), Hassan Umar Shallpella, works with WAP as a Regional Correspondence. He was trained at Institute of Mass Communication and Technology Jos and Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria, Training School Lagos.He was a News desk Editor and a Correspondent at the Punch newspaper and till 2019, was the Deputy Editor ofThe Scope newspaper.

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