NAPO urges responsible political discourse, warns against insults and personal attacks

Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, the 2024 New Patriotic Party (NPP) running mate, urged Ghanaians to uphold respect and responsibility in political discourse in a Facebook post on Tuesday, August 11. He warned against using democratic freedoms as a justification for insults and personal attacks, stating, "Criticism and insult are not the same. Criticism identifies what is wrong and can help us think about what must improve. Insult seeks only to humiliate, provoke or silence. One strengthens public debate. The other weakens it."

NAPO expressed concern that political discussions were increasingly shifting from issues to personal attacks based on individuals' intelligence, appearance, or background. He warned that such conduct could negatively influence young people who look to political leaders as examples of democratic engagement. The former Manyhia South MP stressed that respect should not be mistaken for silence or an attempt to shield public officials from scrutiny. He emphasized that freedom of expression must be accompanied by responsibility, stating, "Democracy requires freedom of expression, but it also requires responsibility..."