Government to “Launch Campaign” Against Misinformation and Disinformation
Information Minister Dr Ceesay © Askanwi
By Edward Francis Dalliah
The Minister for Information, Media, and Broadcasting Services, Dr. Ismaila Ceesay, has announced that the government will launch a campaign titled “Countering Misinformation and Disinformation.”
The announcement was made during the Ministry’s first monthly press conference of 2025, held on Wednesday, 22nd January 2025, at the Sir Dawda Karaba Jawara Conference Centre. Dr. Ceesay revealed that the campaign will run for “two weeks” and include billboards, videos, training programs, and community engagement initiatives.
In today’s digital age, the rapid spread of misinformation and disinformation has become a significant public issue. This problem affects both online and offline communities. A December 2021 publication by Foroyaa Newspaper highlighted how the Election Analysis Centre (EAC) identified disinformation as a major challenge during the 2021 presidential election.
Minister Ceesay emphasised the importance of this campaign as the next election cycle approaches, with the presidential election set to lead in 2026, followed by parliamentary and local government elections. During election periods, as political parties intensify their campaigns, misinformation and disinformation are expected to increase. The minister remarked that there are people who will deliberately misinform the public during such periods.
Since Dr. Ceesay assumed the role of information minister in early 2024, he has used media platforms to address any statements made against the government. More recently, he issued an unreserved apology for stating that a hospital in Chamen, Nianija, will be funded by the International Monetary Fund on Coffee Time with Peter Gomez. Days later, he clarified his statement, taking full responsibility for his error and highlighting that the Chamen Clinic will be funded by the African Development Bank.
As part of the campaign, Dr. Ceesay also announced plans to train 50 journalists, including fact-checkers. This training, he said, “is to train them on the dangers of misinformation and disinformation and how they can counter it.”
Fact-checking has become an essential part of the media landscape in The Gambia. With the support of a UNESCO project grant for FactCheckGambia, numerous journalists have published FactChecks on claims issued by government public officials, the opposition, and the media as well.
The information minister pointed out that the upcoming campaign is sponsored by WAVE Gambia, a local business entity. Dr. Ceesay also stated that the outcomes of the training and colloquium will result in three key documents: ‘an action plan against disinformation, a code of practice for media practitioners, and a non-legislative framework where all media professionals can pledge not to distribute harmful disinformation.’
Additionally, he said the government plans to establish a “social media observatory” that will include participation from the media, civil society, and fact-checkers. This observatory will continuously monitor online content, issuing “red alerts” when harmful disinformation is detected and warning the public to disregard false claims.
