Former Chairman of Peace Council condemns rising insult culture on social media against leaders

Former Chairman of the National Peace Council, Most Reverend Professor Emmanuel Asante, has expressed concern over the increasing insult culture in Ghanaian politics through social media platforms. He warned that the spread of vulgarity, anonymous threats, and disinformation masked as "content creation" undermines respect for leaders, both national, religious, and traditional.

Asante made these remarks during a forum in Kumasi to commemorate the International Day of Peace, an annual event since 1981 organized by the United Nations General Assembly to promote peace and non-violence worldwide. This year's theme, "Invest in Peace – For Everyone, Everywhere, Every Day," highlighted the need for daily commitment and resources to maintain peace, acknowledging local actors who foster stability.

The forum in Kumasi saw participation from youth groups, religious leaders, traditional authorities, civil society organizations, and students. Asante emphasized the responsibility of all political figures to condemn such behavior and stressed that social media users must also be mindful of the content they promote. Dr. Harriet Takyi, the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the Peace Council, called for enhanced peace maintenance institutions, asserting that genuine peace necessitates resource allocation, institutional capabilities, and inclusive frameworks.

Meanwhile, the Paramount Chief of Domeabra, Baffour Owusu Bediako, advocated for a national dialogue on responsible social media use, expressing growing anxiety over the dominance of insults and inflammatory rhetoric in public discourse. The Ashanti Regional office of the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation was acknowledged for its contributions to peace building by broadcasting peace messages through radio and television channels.