Bishop of the Navrongo-Bolgatanga Diocese of the Catholic Church, Most Rev. Alfred Agyenta, is worried about the dearth or lack of engagement of citizens in logical issue-based arguments and discussions before important decisions are made. For him, logical issue-based arguments ought to be had so that citizens can make well-informed decisions.
In his welcome address at the Catholic Diocese of Navrongo-Bolgatanga Diocesan Justice and Peace Commission’s Peace and Decent Political Language Advocacy Forum, themed: ‘Fostering Decent Political Language for Peaceful Election, the Role of the Media,” Most Rev. Agyenta underscored the need for respect for one another as well as opposing views.
The Catholic Bishop appeared troubled that Ghanaians are not engaging in intellectual discourse.
‘We are very concerned about the need to show respect for one another in spite of our political differences. We in Ghana, we have not learned to argue. What does it mean? It means that we have not learned to put forth our point of view logically and with evidence and try to convince our opponent and when you fail to argue, what you’re doing is, you’re taking the easy path, which is to attack because you don’t have evidence, you don’t have enough argument and therefore what you seek to do is to go down on your opponent so we have to learn to argue and to have an intellectual discourse. And this is what our democracy is inviting us to do,” he noted.
The Revered Bishop appealed to leaders of political parties to show a positive example while calling on citizens to hold them accountable.
‘Our leadership needs to show example. Because if you are calling for decent language, if the father in the house is always cursing. If the mother is always insulting the children are going to pick it up. It is as simple as that. So when our political leaders are seen to be using indecent language and foul language, what are the party faithful going to do?
They say this is how it works because the leader is using that. So it means that we need to hold our leaders accountable for whatever happens in terms of the example that they give. When you speak to young people and your language is not good, what are you telling them?” He quizzed.
The Catholic Diocese of Navrongo-Bolgatanga Diocesan Justice and Peace Commission’s Peace and Decent Political Language Advocacy Forum is aimed at promoting peaceful and decorous political discourse. The programme was held in Bolgataga at the Catholic Social Centre, Thursday October 8, 2020.
