Growing politics of insults worrying — Togbe Afede

The President of the National House of Chiefs (NHC), Togbe Afede XIV, has condemned the growing politics of insults in the country and expressed worry over its escalation to the presidential level.

Togbe Afede XIV stressed that: "I want to caution against all actions that threaten our peace and unity, the insult is growing and escalating to the presidential level.”

He, has, therefore called for unity and consensus building among Ghanaians to help speed up the nation’s progress.

Addressing the 3rd annual General Meeting of the National House of Chiefs in Kumasi on Wednesday, he appealed to the media to be wary and circumspect in their reportage.

Be circumspect

He added that objectivity, circumspection, choice of words, tact and diplomacy should be the hallmark of the media.

According to him, serial calling had become a profession and expressed worry over calls for the formation of vigilante groups.

“The use of indecent or intemperate language among the populace in both the print and the electronic media has unfortunately become the order of the day. It is very appalling to listen to certain provocative statements which are made on the airwaves which can cause panic and create a great deal of concern to many peace-loving Ghanaians. The unfortunate events of 1994 in Rwanda should serve as a lesson to us,” Togbe Afede XIV cautioned.

The NHC, he said, therefore, condemned in no uncertain terms all the unfortunate statements made by, and activities committed by some members of political parties in recent times.

For instance, he said, the attacks on personalities and the incitement of clashes by some people which had of late characterised the biometric registration exercise should be condemned by all Ghanaians.

Work hard to build the nation

He has advocated for unity among Ghanaians to work hard, plan and be innovative in order to build the nation and abandon all tendencies that would lead to escalation of violence in the quest for political control over the nation's limited resources.

Pointing out the immediate concern for job creation, he said, “let's join hands, work hard, plan and innovate in order to build our nation's wealth and abandon what looks like a fight over the control of our limited resources," he said.

Advising the media, Togbe Afede said: “sometimes the media put things in quotes which speakers have not said and please your headlines should reflect what the speaker said and the situation where he said it because those are very important in the society and what you report does matter.”

He recalled that when he spoke about the 275 buses, the headline was “Togbe Afede calls for investigation on Freddy Blay” adding that, “that was not true.”

The Agbogbomefia of the Asogli State urged the media to report accurately because it was extremely important and advised that when in doubt, media practitioners should refrain from reporting unless they were sure of the fact that what they were reporting was the truth and nothing but the truth.