Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin has called for greater civility in Ghana’s national discourse, expressing concern over the increasing use of insults, threats and hate speech, particularly on social media.
Addressing Parliament during its emergency sitting on Tuesday, September 29, he said the growing trend of abusive language across digital platforms should concern all Ghanaians.
Mr Bagbin acknowledged that social media and other digital platforms had expanded the country’s democratic space by providing citizens with more opportunities to participate in national discussions.
He said the platforms had enabled people to express their views, scrutinise public officials, expose wrongdoing and demand accountability.
“The expansion of social media or should I say new media and other digital platforms has undoubtedly enlarged the democratic space,” he said.
“It has given citizens unprecedented opportunities to participate in national conversations, express opinions, criticize public officials, expose wrongdoing and demand accountability. These are gains which must be protected.”
The Speaker stressed that freedom of speech and expression, including press freedom, was guaranteed under the Constitution and remained fundamental to Ghana’s democracy.
He noted that criticism of public officials, political disagreements, satire and robust debate were legitimate aspects of democratic engagement.
However, Mr Bagbin cautioned against using these freedoms in ways that undermine the quality of public conversations.
“But freedom of expression does not require the degradation of our public discourse. Increasingly, disagreement is expressed not through reasoned arguments but through insults,” he said.
He urged Members of Parliament and the public to reflect on the tone of national discussions and promote respectful engagement while safeguarding constitutional freedoms.
Mr Bagbin said the challenge was to protect the gains made through expanded access to public debate without allowing abusive and threatening language to dominate Ghana’s democratic discourse.
READ ALSO:
My defamation suit against Sammy Gyamfi still pending in court – Afenyo-Markin
