The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, has called on Members of Parliament and the public to distinguish between legitimate political criticism and personal insults, stressing that accountability must not be undermined by abusive language.

He said strong disagreement was an essential part of democracy but should be expressed in ways that respected the dignity of others.

“Please, robust disagreement is legitimate. Strong criticism is legitimate. Holding government, the opposition, the Speaker, leadership and every institution of state to account is legitimate,” he said.

“But insult is not argument. Abuse is not scrutiny. And the deliberate use of language calculated to demean persons or institutions adds nothing to the quality of our democracy.”

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

He said political disagreements should not prevent citizens from recognising one another’s humanity and equal rights, adding that Ghana’s democratic stability depended not only on its constitutional institutions but also on discipline, decency and responsible public engagement.

The Speaker said Parliament had a responsibility to promote respectful public discourse, particularly because the conduct and language of lawmakers often influence national conversations.

“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.

He noted that MPs were not merely participants in public discussions but also helped shape the standards of communication in the country because of the positions they occupied.

Speaker Bagbin, however, expressed concern that some MPs had used language that fell below the standards expected of elected representatives, both inside and outside the chamber.

“I must say with regret that some of the language employed by members, both within and outside this chamber, has on occasion fallen below the standards that the Parliament is entitled to expect from the elected representatives,” he said.

He called on MPs to lead by example, arguing that Parliament could not demand responsible communication from journalists, broadcasters, bloggers, content creators and other citizens without holding its own members to the same standards.

“Leadership in this matter cannot simply consist of asking citizens to moderate their language. It requires those who occupy positions of public trust to demonstrate by their own conduct that political disagreements can be vigorous without becoming destructive,” he added.