Twenty student journalists from universities across the country have received intensive training in data journalism, investigative reporting, fact-checking and digital storytelling to strengthen their reporting skills and prepare them for the evolving demands of the media industry.

The two-day Campus Reporter Journalism Clinic was organised by the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID Africa) with support from UNESCO IPDC Ghana.

The training brought together students selected through a competitive application process to build their capacity in modern journalism.

The Chief Executive Officer of CJID, Mr Dapo Olorunyomi, said the initiative was aimed at preparing the next generation of newsroom leaders by equipping young journalists with practical skills required in today's media landscape.

He said many newsrooms continued to experience gaps in areas such as data journalism, advanced verification techniques and solutions journalism, making it necessary to train student journalists before they entered the profession.

Mr Olorunyomi said the programme targeted students because they represented the future of the media industry.

He added that participants would benefit from mentorship, internship opportunities and access to the Campus Reporter platform, where they could publish stories and build professional portfolios under the guidance of experienced editors.

The Head of Research at Multimedia Group Ltd, Isaac Kofi-Adjei, said journalists must develop the skills to source, analyse and interpret data to produce credible public-interest stories.

He said data journalism helped reporters explain complex issues, uncover hidden trends and provide audiences with accurate information to make informed decisions.

Mr Kofi-Adjei encouraged participants to use credible sources of data when producing stories.

He stressed the importance of data visualisation, saying it helped audiences understand information and engage better with issues.

The Editor of DUBAWA, Mr Nathan Gadugah, urged student journalists to strengthen their verification skills to combat misinformation and disinformation.

He introduced participants to fact-checking, media and information literacy, pre-bunking and the role of regulation in addressing false information.

Mr Gadugah said journalists had a responsibility to verify information before publication and ensure that their reports were accurate, fair and balanced.

He explained that journalists were not obliged to report favourably about individuals, institutions or organisations but were required to present facts based on evidence and in the public interest.

He encouraged participants to adopt fact-checking practices in their reporting to maintain public trust and uphold the credibility of journalism.

The Manager for the Independent Journalism Project at the Media Foundation for West Africa, Kwaku Krobea Asante, who facilitated a session on journalism ethics, urged student journalists to uphold professional standards in their work.

He took participants through the core ethical principles of journalism, including accuracy, fairness, accountability, independence and minimising harm.

Mr Asante said journalists must verify information before publication, correct mistakes promptly, avoid speculation and ensure that their reports were based on facts and evidence.

He encouraged participants to remain guided by ethical principles in gathering, writing and publishing stories.

Other sessions focused on open-source intelligence (OSINT), investigative journalism, solutions journalism, multimedia storytelling, narrative journalism and safety practices for campus journalists.

Other facilitators included the Dean of the School of Communication and Information Studies at the University of Ghana, Professor Abena Yeboah Banin; the Deputy Director of the Journalism Programme at CJID, Ms Busola Ajibola; Mr Gbolahan Ogunsolu; and Dr Solomon Katachie.