The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, has urged political leaders to stop the practice of rewarding politicians who use abusive and inflammatory language in political discourse. He believes this act threatens Ghana's democratic culture and encourages others to follow similar bad conduct.
Addressing Parliament on the increasingly intemperate nature of public discourse in Ghana, Mr. Bagbin reminded all political actors to moderate their language. He emphasized that political competition should not become a contest in abusive rhetoric, as Ghana's democracy was hard-won and should not be taken for granted.
The Speaker cited an incident involving the Member of Parliament for Walewale, Dr. Abdul Kabiru Tia Mahama, who criticized the circumstances surrounding the recall of Parliament in August. Mr. Bagbin asked Dr. Mahama to withdraw his expression and apologize to the House after using the word "rudely" to describe the Speaker's actions.
Mr. Bagbin stressed that members of the House were entitled to criticize decisions, question reasoning, and challenge parliamentary procedures. However, such criticism should not diminish the dignity of the institutions through which Ghana's democracy functioned. He reiterated that the objective was not to prevent criticism but to ensure that political debate remained respectful and constructive.
The Speaker also highlighted the role of social media and digital platforms in expanding the democratic space. He cautioned that the freedom of expression should not be used to degrade public discourse and that political disagreement should be expressed through reasoned argument rather than insults.
Mr. Bagbin warned that the cumulative effect of inflammatory language could deepen divisions and create tensions that could become increasingly difficult to reverse. He advised political actors to lead by example, demonstrating that firmness of conviction did not have to be accompanied by disrespect.
The Speaker emphasized that Ghana's democratic gains should not be taken for granted and that robust disagreement and strong criticism were legitimate features of a democratic society. However, he made it clear that insult was not argument and abuse was not scrutiny, and that the country's democracy was too valuable to be endangered by a political culture of insults and abuse.
Key points
- The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, has urged political leaders to promote a culture of respect in Ghana's democracy.
- He believes that rewarding politicians who use abusive language encourages others to follow similar bad conduct.
- The Speaker emphasized that robust disagreement and strong criticism are legitimate features of a democratic society, but should be expressed in a respectful and constructive manner.
