Former Tamale Central MP Inusah Fuseini has rejected Alexander Afenyo-Markin’s criticism of Section 208 of the Criminal Offences Act, arguing that requiring citizens to verify information before publication protects responsible public discussion.
Speaking to Sena Nombo on Radio Gold, Fuseini challenged the Minority Leader’s warning at the recent Ghana Journalists Association awards that speech-related prosecutions could become instruments of political control.
“To be a responsible citizen, you must only put into the public domain statements that are accurate and truthful,” he said.
Fuseini maintained that freedom of expression carries an obligation to take responsibility for factual claims, particularly when those claims concern other people.
He described the interpretation of Section 208 as a provision that criminalises free speech as “contorted”, insisting that accountability for publications forms part of an orderly society.
“You can’t just do what you want because we are a civilised society,” he stated.
Section 208 addresses false statements, rumours or reports likely to cause public fear and alarm or disturb public peace, where the publisher knows or has reason to believe the information is false. Its requirements therefore extend beyond whether a statement is inaccurate.
Fuseini argued that enforcing responsibility for such statements should not automatically be interpreted as suppressing the constitutional right to speak.
He questioned how applying the provision according to its terms would, by itself, establish the political intimidation alleged by its critics.
