Ghana needs national dialogue to end political insult culture — Kpebu

Ghana's political landscape is plagued by a growing trend of insults and vitriolic language directed at politicians and public figures, a situation that private legal practitioner Martin Kpebu argues requires a national dialogue to address. Speaking to Joy FM’s Top Story, Kpebu emphasized that simply arresting and prosecuting individuals involved in such behavior would not be enough to curb the escalating issue.

The controversy surrounding the "Ghana Jollof" TikTok account, which was reportedly operated by Barbara Asantewaa Kodua, exemplified the problem, as Kpebu noted that the account's content was far more aggressive than that of other similar accounts. This prompted Kpebu to advocate for a national conversation among political actors and citizens to establish acceptable limits on abusive political discourse.

Kpebu acknowledged that political actors and commentators on both sides of Ghana's political divide had occasionally used offensive language, citing his own past comments, such as calling Akufo-Addo "manpam," as examples. He also referenced remarks from President John Dramani Mahama, including the "Akyem mafia" label and a jab at Mahama himself.

Kpebu suggested that a national dialogue could provide an opportunity for all parties to agree on acceptable boundaries for political discourse, effectively calling for a truce in the current state of affairs. He pointed out that the "Ghana Jollof" account's vitriol was particularly high, noting that no other account matched its intensity.

This led Kpebu to focus on the need for a collective national conversation, specifically mentioning that if Kevin Taylor, another prominent commentator, could be restrained, Kodua might be persuaded to stop as well. However, Kpebu cautioned that taking legal action against individuals linked to the "Ghana Jollof" account might not effectively stop the broader problem.

He pointed out that even while Kpebu and others were discussing the arrest of Salomey Awiti Bafoh, who allegedly helped operate the "Ghana Jollof" account, the account continued to disseminate inflammatory content. Kpebu questioned whether continued detention was the appropriate response, suggesting that investigators could have used less restrictive measures, such as seizing and examining Bafoh's phone.

He also warned that such an approach could have negative implications for public confidence and democratic freedoms. The case has already sparked calls for Bafoh's release and a broader debate over the balance between freedom of expression, public order, and accountability for online content. Both the New Patriotic Party's flagbearer, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, and the Government Communications Minister, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, have called for Bafoh's release while maintaining that political insults should not be encouraged.

The government has stated that it can tolerate criticism and insults directed at President Mahama but will not tolerate statements that incite violence or breach public order. Kpebu argued that a broader national conversation could offer a more sustainable solution to managing disagreements in Ghana's public discourse, rather than relying primarily on arrests, prosecutions, and incarceration.