Stop the insults, filthy language in our politics – Prof. Opoku-Agyemang

The time for Ghanaians to stop the politics of insults is now, the vice-presidential candidate of the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Prof Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang has said.

“We need to turn the face of our politics into developmental issues”, she said at a forum with women in Accra on Friday, October 23, 2020.

“We need to turn it away from insults, filthy language, and unproductive and unhelpful things. We need to redefine politics in the country. Things must change and the time is now”, she charged.

In August this year, Prof Opoku-Agyemang made a similar call, saying the country must not reach a point where people would reduce the office of a politician to insulting people.

She was of the opinion that the culture of politics of insults should be eschewed as Ghanaians were not raised to insult.

In an interview with Kweku Sintim Misa on the KSM show, Prof Opoku-Agyemang said: “We shouldn’t get to the level where we think that to be a politician, you must insult people”.

“I don’t think so”, she said, adding: “When the fabrics of society get weak, none of the policies will help you.”

She added: “Our parents didn’t raise us to go insulting people,” Prof Opoku-Agyemang told Kweku Sintim Misa (KSM).

Before Prof Opoku-Agyemang’s interview with KSM, her boss, former President John Mahama, had assured Ghanaians that neither he nor his running mate will engage in politics of insults.

“My running mate, Prof Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, who I am presenting to you today, has been encouraged by the Osu Mantse to be strong and courageous in the face of, what he feared would be, a barrage of insults and attacks on her person, just because she has decided to serve her country at the highest level, help shape its destiny and ensure shared prosperity for all,” former President Mahama stated in Accra when he presented Prof Opoku-Agyemang to the Christian Council of Ghana (CCG).

“Indeed, these unprovoked attacks, insults and lies have already started but I can assure you and all Ghanaians that Naana Jane and I will never engage in insults and name-calling of our opponents in response,” he said.

“Our children are watching, listening and copying what we do and it’s important that we continue to serve as good role models to them.”