The Lagos State Resilience Office (LASRO) has organised a workshop aimed at checkmating fake news through the Lagos Resilience Intelligence System (LRIS) at the Colossus, Maryland, Lagos, on Thursday.
Dr. Folayinka Dania, the Lagos State Chief Resilience Officer explained that the workshop aimed to validate information regarding early warning signs of the risk of misinformation and disinformation, the adequacy of the proposed threshold, and access to information relevant to assessing risk indicators.
According to her, the workshop is a critical step in ensuring that the Lagos Resilience Intelligence System is effective in mitigating the risks associated with misinformation and disinformation which threaten livelihoods in Lagos.
Represented by Mr. Olufemi Dada, Assistant Town Planning in the Agency, Dania said, “We gathered to discuss misinformation and disinformation as threats to our livelihoods in Lagos and to roll out systems through the Lagos Resilience Intelligence System that can nip them in the bud”.
Mr. Abideen Olasupo, the Founder of Fact-Check Africa and the main facilitator of the programme, described the workshop as a co-creation workshop, which made it all engaging thus allowing critical stakeholders such as academia, journalists, fact-checkers, and government officials to come to a roundtable together to find lasting solutions to the information pollution landscape in Lagos.
Ms. Utobong Hughes, Senior Manager Business Advisory Services Division at Anderson, working with LASRO, explained that the sessions have validated the understanding of misinformation and disinformation.
She said, “Today, we have identified root causes and what we believe are indicators to know these risks and the need for adequate response. We have been talking to industry experts, journalists, academia, fact-checkers and others to confirm indicators known before now and set to adequately monitor the issues”.
Mrs. Yetunde Oladotun Amao, Director of News at Lagos Television, commended the programme for being an eye-opener and thought-provoking, saying “It has been an eye-opener, very deep thought provoking, resourceful as well. The issue of misinformation is a very deep challenge, not only in Nigeria but even in advanced countries”.
The workshop brought together stakeholders from various sectors including the media, government agencies, private sector organisations, academia, and civil society groups. Participants had the opportunity to share their expertise, provide feedback, and validate the information and thresholds proposed for the LRIS.
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