Omanghana
Ghanaian media personality Abena Moet has challenged President John Dramani Mahama’s renewed calls for a national discussion on regulating hate speech and abusive content on social media.
Speaking on United Showbiz, Moet argued that any effort to reduce political insults should begin with politicians and government officials, whom she described as major contributors to the hostile language frequently heard in Ghana’s public discourse.
Her comments followed President Mahama’s call for the Ghana Journalists Association and the Media Foundation for West Africa to convene a stakeholder forum on online hate speech, misinformation and responsible digital communication. The President said Ghana needed to determine how platforms such as TikTok should be regulated while protecting freedom of expression.
Mahama has also expressed concern about anonymous users who post threats and abusive messages online. However, he said he was not personally troubled by insults directed at him and questioned whether every arrest linked to online criticism was justified. He warned that authorities could go too far if the boundaries were not clearly defined.
Moet said the political class should first examine its own conduct. She pointed to the insults exchanged by politicians and their supporters during radio and television discussions, arguing that it would be unfair to target ordinary citizens while political actors engage in similar behaviour.
She also questioned how authorities would distinguish between hate speech, defamation, a genuine security threat and harsh political criticism. In her view, clear legal standards must be established before measures such as identifying anonymous social media users or pursuing criminal sanctions are expanded.
Although Moet acknowledged that abusive language can be harmful, she cautioned against treating every offensive statement as a criminal act. She said citizens must retain the right to criticise public officials, even when the criticism is uncomfortable or strongly worded.
The debate comes as the Presidency seeks a national roadmap that addresses threats, incitement and harmful digital content without criminalising legitimate criticism, satire or dissent. The proposed engagement is expected to involve media organisations, civil society groups, content creators, security agencies and other stakeholders.
Moet’s intervention has added to the wider discussion over how Ghana can protect public safety and social cohesion while preserving the constitutional right to free expression.
Source: Omanghana
