Rashid Pelpuo cautions against intemperate language

Rashid Pelpuo, Deputy Majority Leader in Parliament

Deputy Majority Leader in Parliament Rashid Pelpuo is cautioning his colleague MPs against the use of intemperate language, warning they could find themselves in the same situation as the Assin North MP Kennedy Agyapong.

Mr Agyapong, who was granted bail by a human rights court, is facing charges of treason, felony, attempted genocide and terrorism for inflammatory comments he made on his radio station, Oman FM.

He has been criticized by some who believe his utterances have degraded his stature as a legislator.

Mr Pelpuo, who is also MP for Wa Central, in an interview with Joy News said the matter may come up for discussion in parliament when the House resumes.

The Deputy Majority Leader, who spoke to Joy FM's Seth Kwame Boateng, said they, as MPs, “represent the very standard set by society to be reflected in us and so if we are caught in this situation; it is very painful and is disappointing both to society and to the system itself so it is a lesson that we all have to learn.”

He stressed that “People must take responsibility for what they say and what they do as a mature and important person in society you can't be forgiven every time.”

“It is the same person who made a remark and said insulting words against the President and he said that somebody urged him to apologize and he did, this is another time he's said something which has a very far reaching implication, if society decides to pardon him, so well and good,” Mr Pelpuo said.

He, however, urged that “he [Kennedy Agyapong] must be cautioned and he must understand that we don't have to be that careless in the way we speak.”