‘Don’t reward only bitter tongues, it encourages others to copy’ – Bagbin tells political parties

Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin has called on the leadership of Ghana’s political parties to reconsider the practice of elevating politicians who attract attention through abusive and inflammatory language.

According to Mr Bagbin, rewarding individuals for provocative rhetoric risks encouraging others within the political space to adopt similar tactics in the hope of gaining recognition.

He made the remarks during Parliament’s emergency sitting on Tuesday, September 29, 2026, where he urged political leaders to promote a healthier standard of political engagement.

“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.”

The Speaker said political parties had an important role to play in shaping the tone of public discourse and should ensure that recognition and opportunities were not based solely on a politician’s ability to provoke opponents.

He stressed that disagreements in politics were inevitable but should be expressed in ways that did not undermine public confidence or deepen divisions.

Mr Bagbin also challenged Parliament to demonstrate the standards of conduct it expects from the wider public, saying political leaders must 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.”

He said Ghana’s democratic development depended on more than elections, Parliament and the courts, arguing that the country also needed a political culture in which opposing views could be expressed without turning political opponents into enemies.

The Speaker warned that the continued use of inflammatory language and personal attacks could contribute to growing divisions and weaken the quality of democratic participation.

“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 therefore urged political party leaders and other public figures to promote discipline, decency and substantive debate as part of efforts to strengthen Ghana’s democratic culture.