Gyampo warns insults could trigger violence, destabilize Ghana
Political scientist Professor Ransford Gyampo has warned that the growing culture of insults in Ghana’s public discourse could trigger violence and threaten the country’s stability.
Speaking on TV3’s The KeyPoints on August 29, Prof Gyampo criticised claims by some lawyers that insults are not a crime.
“It is nation-wrecking for any lawyer to say insult is not a crime,” he said.
Prof Gyampo argued that insults and defamatory remarks should not be treated lightly, particularly in an increasingly heated political environment.
He questioned the argument that people offended by such remarks can simply seek redress in court, noting that defamation cases can take several years to conclude.
According to him, the delay in obtaining legal redress can leave victims without timely protection or relief.
Prof Gyampo cited an alleged incident at a washing bay where an exchange of insults reportedly escalated into violence and resulted in the death of one person.
“Insults play on the emotional keyboard of people,” he said, warning that inflammatory language can provoke emotional reactions and, in extreme cases, lead to violence.
He cautioned that if the normalization of insults continues unchecked, it could contribute to social disorder and national instability.
Prof Gyampo also urged Ghanaians to learn from societies that descended into conflict after periods of peace, stressing the importance of addressing inflammatory public discourse before it escalates.
Source: 3news.com
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