Bagbin Warns Parties Against Rewarding Politicians Over Abusive, Inflammatory Rhetoric

The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, has urged the leadership of Ghana’s political parties to stop rewarding politicians who gain recognition through abusive or inflammatory language, warning that such practices encourage others to adopt similar behaviour.

According to him, political parties have a responsibility to shape the quality of political discourse by ensuring that individuals are not rewarded or elevated simply because of the provocative nature of their rhetoric.

Speaking at Parliament’s emergency sitting on Tuesday, September 29, 2026, he said political disagreements could be vigorous without becoming destructive.

“I add this to both political parties’ leaders. Don’t reward only bitter tongues,” Mr Bagbin said.

“That is what I have observed up to date. That encourages others to copy that because that is how they will be recognised.”

He said political party leaders must demonstrate through their conduct that public recognition should not be tied to abusive language or personal attacks.

The Speaker’s comments formed part of a broader call for higher standards of public discourse, amid concerns over the increasing use of insults, threats and other abusive language in Ghana’s political and social conversations.

He said Parliament itself must also examine the conduct of its members and lead by example.

“Leadership in this matter cannot simply consist of asking citizens to moderate their language,” Mr Bagbin said.

“It requires those who occupy positions of public trust to demonstrate by their own conduct that political disagreements can be vigorous without becoming destructive.”

Mr Bagbin said Ghana’s democratic stability depended not only on institutions such as Parliament, the courts and elections, but also on a political culture that allowed citizens to disagree without treating opponents as enemies.

He warned that the cumulative effect of inflammatory language and conduct could deepen divisions and threaten the quality of democratic engagement.

“Our democracy is too valuable to be endangered by a political culture in which insults replace arguments, abuse replaces persuasion, and opponents are treated as enemies,” he said.

He urged political leaders to help reverse that trend and create a political culture based on discipline, decency and substantive debate.