Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin has urged Parliament to examine its own conduct as part of efforts to promote responsible speech in Ghana. He emphasized that Parliament must lead by example in the national conversation on freedom of expression and responsible communication. This call comes amid growing concerns about hate speech, threats, and abusive language on social media and emerging digital platforms.
Bagbin stated that Parliament could not credibly demand higher standards and conduct from journalists, broadcasters, bloggers, and content creators without holding its own members to similar standards. He made this statement while addressing MPs on Tuesday, September 29. According to Bagbin, Parliament must be prepared to look inward and examine its own conduct.
The call for responsible speech is not limited to Parliament, as President John Dramani Mahama has also weighed in on the issue. He has called on the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) and the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) to jointly convene a national stakeholder engagement on hate speech, abusive online content, and responsible digital communication.
President Mahama's move aims to address the growing incidence of hate speech, threats, abusive language, and other harmful content on social media and emerging digital platforms while protecting freedom of expression. In a letter from the Office of the President dated September 22, 2026, Mahama noted that Ghana's media environment has changed significantly, with public discourse increasingly shaped not only by traditional media organizations but also by individual bloggers, content creators, influencers, and users of platforms such as TikTok.
The President described the development as a "difficult but important public-policy challenge," underscoring the need to address hate speech, threats, incitement, and other unlawful conduct without criminalizing legitimate criticism, political commentary, satire, and dissent. He expressed concern about disproportionate arrests over mere criticism or politically charged commentary, arguing that such actions could be counterproductive and undermine public confidence in state institutions.
President Mahama stressed that there is an urgent need for a coherent national roadmap that protects freedom of expression while providing an appropriate and proportionate response to genuinely harmful digital content. This roadmap should balance the need to regulate digital content with the need to protect freedom of expression and promote responsible communication.
The national stakeholder engagement on hate speech and responsible digital communication is expected to bring together various stakeholders, including media organizations, civil society groups, and government agencies, to discuss the challenges and opportunities in regulating digital content in Ghana. The engagement is seen as a crucial step towards promoting responsible speech and protecting freedom of expression in the country.
Key points
- Parliament must examine its own conduct to promote responsible speech.
- President Mahama has called for a national stakeholder engagement on hate speech and responsible digital communication.
- Ghana's media environment has changed significantly, with public discourse increasingly shaped by individual bloggers, content creators, influencers, and users of social media platforms.
