Honorary Vice President of IMANI Africa, Bright Simons, has emphasised the need for Ghana to clearly separate hate speech from incitement in order to safeguard free expression while protecting national security.
Speaking on JoyNews’s Newsfile programme on Saturday, September 13, Mr Simons was reacting to President Mahama’s announcement of new measures to monitor online abuse.
He explained that while hate speech is divisive and offensive, incitement carries a far greater risk as it can provoke violence and disrupt public order. “We have to be very clear in our minds where hate speech ends and where incitement begins. Hate speech is unpleasant, but incitement is where the line is crossed, and that is what threatens public order,” he argued.
His comments came after President Mahama revealed that the National Signals Bureau (NSB) has been equipped with advanced technology to track social media users spreading hate, using IP addresses to identify offenders.
While acknowledging the government’s security concerns, Mr Simons cautioned against excessive surveillance that could stifle civil liberties. “We should not create an environment where ordinary citizens feel criminalised for expressing themselves. The real focus must be on those who deliberately incite violence,” he noted.
He further called for collaboration between policymakers and civil society to define hate speech and incitement within Ghana’s legal framework. “If we fail to draw this line properly, we risk undermining democratic freedoms while at the same time not effectively tackling the real danger, which is incitement to violence,” he said.
