Dialogue on Youth Citizen Journalism held in Tamale

By Hamza Sulemana

Some youth leaders, traditional authorities and civic educators in the Northern Region have taken part in a dialogue on Youth Citizen Journalism on the theme: “Amplifying Youth Voices for Civic Action”.

It was to deliberate on how citizen journalism could be harnessed to strengthen civic participation and accountability in governance.

It was organised by the Youth Bridge Foundation (YBF) in partnership with the Embassy of the Czech Republic in Ghana as part of the YBF’s ongoing Citizen Journalism Project, which since 2023, has empowered young people in the country to tell impactful development stories through responsible journalism.

The project is supported by the Czech Embassy under the TRANSITION Grant.

Mawuena Azuma, Programmes Assistant at YBF, speaking during the dialogue in Tamale, said the project had strengthened the capacity of youth in the country to report accurately, combat misinformation and amplify community voices.

Pavel Bílek, Czech Ambassador to Ghana lauded the project and reaffirmed his country’s support for strengthening civic participation amongst Ghana’s youth.

He said “By building the capacities of young people in citizen journalism, we prepare them to monitor institutions, demand accountability, and ultimately strengthen democracy in Ghana.”

Representatives of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), traditional leaders, and student bodies also delivered solidarity messages.

Awal Abdul Mugis, Gushegu Municipal Director of NCCE emphasised NCCE’s commitment to supporting YBF in nurturing a generation of informed, active, and responsible citizens.

He said “Civic education is a shared responsibility. It instills knowledge, skills, and attitudes that empower young people to participate meaningfully in their communities.”

There were presentations on peer-led data collection highlighting gaps and challenges in youth participation as well as a dialogue on the value of citizen journalism in amplifying civic voices.

Amin Ayinaw, one of the youth delegates, described the platform as eye-opening saying “I now understand the importance of civic education and how to use my voice as a citizen journalist responsibly. I feel more prepared to advocate for accountability without spreading falsehood.”