Bright Simons, Honorary Vice President of IMANI Africa, has cautioned that President John Dramani Mahama’s response to hate speech and misinformation appears to place disproportionate emphasis on law enforcement rather than broader democratic safeguards.
He made the observation on JoyNews’s Newsfile programme on Saturday, September 13.
Mr Simons argued that while addressing online abuse and incitement is important, the government must ensure its strategy does not lean too heavily on surveillance and punitive measures.
“The impression one gets from the President’s comments is that the emphasis is overly on law enforcement. But in a democracy, we need a much more balanced approach that includes education, civic dialogue, and media literacy,” he said.
President Mahama had earlier announced that the National Signals Bureau (NSB) has been equipped with technology to track the IP addresses of individuals who use social media to spread hate.
Mr Simons, however, warned that this approach could raise concerns about privacy and the potential stifling of legitimate dissent.
He therefore urged the government to complement enforcement with preventive and educational measures.
“A free society requires more than just control mechanisms. What we need is a strategy that builds resilience in citizens, empowers communities to counter dangerous narratives, and makes clear distinctions between criticism, hate, and incitement,” Mr Simons emphasised.
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