ABUJA (SUNDIATA POST)- The Avant-Garde Interbiz Projects, a Non-Governmental Organisation, has underscored the need for people to always verify information on social media before sharing to reduce spread of fake news.
Mr Nathaniel Allahmagani, Managing Consultant of Avant-Garde Interbiz Projects, said this at the end of a 3-day capacity building workshop on combating spread of fake news on Friday in Ado, Nasarawa State.
The workshop, titled “Digital Propaganda and Social Media: The Influence of today’s fake news on national security,” was organised by the Avant-Garde Interbiz Projects in conjunction with the National Orientation Agency (NOA).
According to Allahmagani, this workshop has been going on for some time, but we felt this is an appropriate time to put the programme together for information and communication officers in the public sector.
“We had organised a similar workshop in February and we are repeating it now, this is coming at the right time considering the #Endbadgovernance protests.
“We know that the power social media welded during the protest had negative impact that can affect any nation in such circumstance.
“Therefore, this workshop is aimed to sensitise civil servants on the need to verify information before sharing such on social media, to reduce spread of fake news,” he said
Eleazar Obende, Assistant General Manager, Corporate Relations and Consumer Protection of Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMET), described the workshop as apt in boosting the fights against fake news.
“The workshop has been quite rewarding, in terms of knowledge sharing about AI and tackling its global challenges; the knowledge gained can enable compatriots to interact freely and do businesses with ease.
“It can also help civil servants to become more efficient, fast and credible in their deliverables,” Obende said.
Mr Abdulrasheed Ashafa, Director of Public Relations, Federal Fire Service, described the workshop as key to promote knowledge on the dangers of fake news on social media.
“This workshop has really impacted positively on me in detecting AI issues in relation to social media and national security.
“I shall take the lessons learnt to my office and train other staff within my unit, especially those in the media section, to enable them drive policies and advance fights against fake news,” he said.
Mr Kazah Akau, Assistant General Manager, Public Affairs at Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), urged the federal and state governments to prioritise awareness creation on AI applications to achieve meaningful growth.
Akau said that the programme was highly educative.
“Particularly the lecture on ICT and AI helped to broaden my horizon about the conventional ways of doing things on social media and way forward.
“I urge government to integrate capacity building on digital propaganda and social media to ensure that Nigerians are not left behind in the new world order,” he said.
The workshop attracted 52 participants, predominantly information and communication officers from various government organisations across Nigeria.
Some of the organisations represented are included the News Agency of Nigeria, Department of State Services, Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation, and the National Inland Waterways Authority.
Others are Tertiary Education Trust Fund, Federal Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, Nigerian Meteorological Agency, and the Transmission Company of Nigeria, among others.
The workshop’s highlights featured lecture sessions on the weaponisation of misinformation, methods for verifying and combating fake news, and its impact on national security.
Further sessions covered digital propaganda and social media, the role of Artificial Intelligence governance in mitigating fake news, and the perils of social media. (NAN)
