The Chairperson of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), Ms Kathleen Addy, has cautioned Ghanaians against hate speech as it could cause conflict in the lead-up to the General Election.
She asked citizens to be mindful of their utterances because most individuals react to what they hear in different ways, which can lead to misunderstanding and rivalry.
Ms Addy made the call at a two-day annual conference, organised by the Society of Catholic Social Scientists, in Accra on Friday, on the theme: “The voice of the people: Elections for a more responsive government,” to discuss ways of improving democracy in the country, and to educate citizens on electoral issues.
“It is not good for politicians to sit on social media and spread insults since it can lead to violence, so let’s change and avoid these negative sentiments,” she said.
Ms Addy urged Ghanaians to consider electing their leaders based on proper assessment, and not individuals who sought to attack and rain insults on their political opponents.
Ms Addy said that the NCCE was dedicated to promoting democratic values through public civic education.
She encouraged citizens to participate in the upcoming elections, saying voting was an important civic responsibility.
“Voting is the backbone of democracy, and without it, democratic societies crumble. Democracy thrives when citizens actively participate,” she said.
Ms Addy said that inclusive citizen engagement was essential for democratic governance and crucial to ensuring sustainable development
He advised citizens to refrain from misinformation and disinformation as it could lead to misunderstanding and tension in the country.
“Misinformation is very predominant since the elections are approaching, and people use social media to push their own agenda and share all sort of information, which are untrue and misleading,” she noted.
The Executive Secretary of the National Media Commission (NMC), Mr George Sarpong, highlighted that the credibility of this year’s elections would be on the performance of the Electoral Commission (EC) as well as the media.
He said that the NMC was working with relevant bodies to ensure that news coverage was based on verified facts but not speculation.
“As we go to elections, there is the need for citizens to trust the Electoral Commission and work collectively with it to promote a smooth electoral process,” he said.
Mr Sarpong also encouraged journalists to familiarise themselves with provisions of the 1992 Constitution, and inform the public about the rights and duties of citizens.
He also appealed to the media to refrain from using their platforms to spread misinformation, personal attacks and divisive utterances.
BY AGNES OWUSU