The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, has urged Parliament’s Human Rights Committee to proactively investigate reported human rights abuses rather than wait for formal referrals before taking action.

He said the committee had the authority to inquire into such matters and should take an active interest in protecting citizens’ rights.

Speaker Bagbin made the call while addressing an emergency sitting of Parliament on Tuesday, September 29, amid concerns about the growing use of insults in public life.

“We have now a human rights committee. I have spoken to the leadership before that when you hear or see any such human rights abuses, please, you have the power to inquire and investigate those issues. Don’t just sit silent and expect that someone will refer it to you,” he said.

He stressed that Parliament and its committees had a responsibility under the Standing Orders to engage actively with issues affecting public discourse and examine whether existing legal and institutional frameworks were adequate.

“That’s not what the law says. We have a remit conferred upon us as a House and as committees under our Standing Orders to take an active interest in the matters and to engage relevant constitutional, regulatory and civil society bodies on the stage of our public discourse and the adequacy of the existing legal and institutional framework,” he said.

The Speaker called for any measures to address abuses in public discourse to be consistent with the Constitution and proportionate to the conduct involved.

He said efforts to protect citizens from unlawful conduct should not result in the criminalisation of legitimate disagreement or criticism of public officials.

“We must protect citizens against genuinely unlawful conduct without criminalising disagreement. We must protect public officials from threats without protecting them from criticism. And we must preserve the freedom of expression upon which democratic accountability itself depends,” he said.

Speaker Bagbin also urged Parliament to examine the conduct of its own members as it called on journalists, broadcasters, bloggers, content creators and other citizens to exercise responsibility in their public statements.

He said Parliament could not credibly demand higher standards of public discourse from the public without holding its members to similar standards.

“I believe Parliament itself must take a look within on our members as we call upon journalists, broadcasters, bloggers, content creators and citizens to exercise responsibility in their speech. Parliament must be prepared to look inward,” he said.

The Speaker noted that statements made by MPs and other parliamentary activities had a wider influence on public discourse, given the extensive coverage of proceedings in the chamber and committee meetings.

He said press conferences, interviews, public meetings and social media engagements by MPs also contributed to shaping conversations across the country.

“The words spoken in the chamber travel far beyond these walls. The proceedings of committees are reported throughout the country and worldwide. Our press conferences, interviews, public meetings and social media engagements help to set the tone of national discourse,” he said.

Speaker Bagbin added that Parliament’s position in the country’s governance structure placed a responsibility on its members to consider the impact of their words and conduct on public debate.

“We are not merely participants in the national conversation. By virtue of the offices we occupy, we are among those who shape it,” he said.

His remarks come as Parliament considers concerns about insults and the broader standards of communication in public life, with the Speaker emphasising the need to balance accountability for unlawful conduct with the protection of freedom of expression.