ECOWAS/ECA initiated two-day science communication training workshop for identified Western African journalists, came to a successful close on Tuesday, October 18 in the magnificent Nigerian capital city of Abuja, with a call on science journalists to be open-mined.
They must live a life of a walking question mark , with their noses always sniffing for accurate science and technology information, which must not only be made available and affordable but also more accessible for Africa’s development for the prosperity of the citizens of the Continent.
Forty (40) participants made up of top-notch communication training institutions, high level representatives from ECA, UNESCO, ECOWAS, ICT experts, scientists and specialist science and technology journalists, took part in the energy sapping intellectual deliberation which could best be described as brain-storming event.
Without exaggeration, one can characterize delegates of the training workshop as ‘Commanders-in-Chief’ of development communication, who called for an emergency session to plot strategies to launch an attack on problems confronting Africa’s development. The strategy sought to deploy journalists as the first infantry battalions, who were armed with Science, Technology and Innovation as weapons to move onto the battle field. It was fireworks all the way! Intellectual and academic debates ensued.
Deliberations were frank amidst heated but friendly arguments of give and take. People spoke their minds freely without looking over their shoulders. Naturally, no genuine forum of journalists can flourish without some kinds of controversy. As a matter of fact, there was one topic on “Reporting on Controversies – Ethics in reporting science controversies”
Like other speakers, the resource person from Ghana expressed his views with passion. He felt rather disappointed that Africa was crawling instead of flying on the developmental plane on this planet of science and technology. He could not fathom why Africa should be wallowing in abject poverty with all the resources at its command.
When he was challenged by a Professor from Nigeria that it was not totally correct to create the impression that Africa was not developing, he agreed with the view that something was being done. But he reminded the learned Professor of the natural resources such as gold, diamond, bauxite, uranium, oil and gas etc, with which the Continent was endowed.
He opined that if half of those resources were to be allocated to some other countries like, Singapore, Israel and others, the Continent would have been feeding, clothing and sheltering the entire world with ease.
At the end of it all, a comprehensive pack of recommendations were drawn up and adopted. An African Network of Science Journalists was launched and a ten-member (10) Steering Committee set up to ensure the implementation of the adopted recommendations.
Mr. Thierry Amoussougbo, Regional Advisor, ICT, Science and Technology Division of ECA, who chaired this gamut of ceremony of drafting, reading, adoption, nomination and inauguration of the steering committee, told members to live up to expectation.
Mr. Thierry Amoussougbo, ECA
Dr. Fackson Banda Programme Specialist Communication Development Division of Communication and Information Sector of UNESCO assisted Mr. Amoussougbo with his expertise in drafting of the recommendations. He did not mince his words at all when he told the Committee members in the face to “stop talking and work and work, and work,” he stressed
Dr. Fackson Banda, UNESCO
Among other things, the recommendations were premised on the fact that, “Science, technology and innovation have served as the foundations of social and economic well-being since the beginning of human civilization.”
That Africa cannot meet its healthcare, water, infrastructure, education, employment needs, develop industries and overcome economic challenges without significant investment in science, technology and innovation.
That poor relationship which exists between scientists, research institutions and journalists tends to affect effective communication; adding that only effectively communicated knowledge could benefit individuals with the power and skills to put that knowledge in practical application e.
Participants took special note of the tremendous efforts UNESCO is making in building science journalism capacity on the African continent.
As part of the workshop programme, some of the representatives of the UNESCO Reference Centres of Excellence were given the opportunity to brief participants on activities of their respective countries. These countries included Niger, Guinea, Senegal, Burkina-Faso and Nigeria.
Workshop participants also commended the efforts made by ECOWS, ECA, UNDP, AU and other individuals and organizations for the realization of the programme. This workshop happened to be the first of its kind. Resources were limited and the organization had not been easy at all.
It is the noble intention of the organizers to extend this training programme to journalists of other sub-regions such as Eastern, Central, Southern and Northern Africa to galvanize science journalists to champion the development agenda of Africa by making science and technology information available, affordable and accessible to all.
First batch of journalists who benefited from the training workshop were drawn from Burkina-Faso, Liberia, Guinea, Ghana, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda and Senegal as well as African Federation of Science Journalists, (AFSJ), USECO, ECA, ECOWAS and AU.
May I suggest that in future, some African millionaires like Moh Ibrahim and former African Heads of State like H.E. President Olusegu Obasanjor should be approached for sponsorships to supplement the efforts of ECOWAS. I have no doubt that some of them would be willing to support.
M. K. Abissath @ ECOWAS
Secretariat, Abuja, Nigeria
Mawutodzi Kodzo Abissath is Ghanaian Bilingual Journalist, writer and poet
He served as one of the Resource Persons of the Science Communication Training Workshop Abuja, Nigeria, held from October, 17 – 19, 2011
Email. Abissath@gmail.com
Blog:
http://abissathmodernblog.blogspot.com/
Old Blog: http://abissathfeatures-mawu.blogspot.com/
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