Ganta, Nimba County -Phase One of the Regional Media‑Elections Workshop under the theme: “Strengthening Media and Electoral Integrity,” opened on Tuesday, June 9 in Ganta City, Nimba county with renewed pledges from the National Elections Commission of Liberia (NEC) to deepen collaboration with the media as part of broader efforts to boost the transparency, inclusiveness and credibility of Liberia’s electoral processes with support from United Nations Development Program UNDP and funding from the European Union ( EU).
By D Franklin Doloquee
Held in a sunlit conference hall at the Jackie Guest House in Ganta, Nimba County draw journalists and election magistrates from across the region. The three‑day workshop recognizes the media as a critical partner in democracy.
Organizers said reporters and broadcasters play an essential role in shaping public perception, disseminating accurate electoral information, promoting accountability and encouraging voter participation.
In his opening remarks, National Election Commission (NEC) Executive Director and Head of Secretariat, Anthony K. Sengbe, said the workshop is part of an ongoing review of the Commission’s draft Communications Strategy, Policy and Protocols.
“Our goal is to build a stronger, more constructive relationship with the media so that citizens receive accurate, timely and understandable information about elections,” Mr. Sengbe said.
He identified misinformation, limited public understanding of electoral procedures and weak coordination between the NEC and media outlets as pressing challenges that if unaddressed, could erode public confidence and threaten electoral stability.
James Kpargoi, Communications Specialist for the United Nations Development Programme’s Liberia Electoral Support Project (UNDP‑LESP), encouraged participants to engage actively and contribute practical ideas to the communications framework.
He highlighted past collaboration between the UNDP and NEC and urged journalists to use the platform to improve public communication and stakeholder engagement.
“The framework we build here should help reporters explain complex electoral rules in everyday language so voters can make informed decisions,” Mr. Kpargoi stated.
Representatives of media and civil society also called for sustained investment in capacity building.
Julius C. K. Kanubah, President of the Press Union of Liberia (PUL), urged greater institutional support to ensure professional and responsible coverage of elections nationwide.
He stressed that community radio stations, which are often the primary source of news in rural areas, require technical support, access to verified information and clear accreditation procedures to report effectively during electoral cycles.
Partner organizations attending the workshop include Internews, Local Voices Liberia, the Female Journalists Association of Liberia (FEJAL) and the Center for Media Studies and Peacebuilding (CEMESP) Executive Director, Malcom W. Joseph, County Lead for InterNews – Liberia Samukai V. Konneh, each pledged to support training, fact‑checking initiatives and community outreach. Internews emphasized the importance of media literacy programs to help citizens distinguish verified information from rumors, while the President of the Female Journalists Association of Liberia (FEJAL) Lisa Diasay highlighted the need for gender‑sensitive reporting that ensures women’s voices and voting concerns are covered.
Approximately 14 journalists from community radio stations and other media outlets representing eight counties are attending Phase One alongside ten NEC Election Magistrates.
Workshop sessions cover media literacy, media mapping, accreditation procedures, the legal framework governing media and elections, democracy and press freedom, strategies for combating misinformation and disinformation and guidelines for responsible election reporting. Practical exercises include scenario‑based reporting drills, joint NEC‑media tabletop simulations and demonstrations of simple verification tools reporters can use in the field.
Organizers say the workshop’s hands‑on approach aims to strengthen relationships between journalists and election officials, shorten response times for clarifications during election periods and reduce the spread of inaccurate information.
By the close of the three-day workshop, media participants are expected to adopt and sign a commitment reaffirming their collective commitment to increasing public awareness of key electoral activities including citizens’ right to vote, registration deadlines, polling procedures and civic participation more broadly.
