Accra: 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, emphasized the need for migration reporting to move from fear-based to evidence-based framing, focusing on development narratives, contextualization, and human dignity.
According to Ghana News Agency, Mr. Dodoo 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 organized 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.'
He further explained that equating free movement with trafficking creates fear-based narratives, misrepresents regional migration dynamics, discourages lawful mobility, and overshadows actual trafficking prevention efforts. 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.'
Deputy Superintendent of Immigration (DSI) Justice Kudzo Normeshie also addressed the workshop, highlighting that ECOWAS member states must educate their citizens on the protocols, noting that there are no blanket provisions. He 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.
Dr. Harrison Kofi Belley, Volta Regional Chairman of the Ghana Journalists Association, emphasized the timeliness and relevance of the project's theme. He noted that media and political narratives often exaggerate mass migration from West Africa, thereby fueling misconceptions. Dr. Belley highlighted the historical context of human mobility in West Africa and the growing focus on migration governance, influenced by factors such as labor migration and forced displacement. He urged journalists to participate fully in such initiatives to derive maximum benefit and contribute to balanced public discourse on migration and regional integration.