Freedom of speech must engender development - President of Ashesi University

Dr Patrick Awuah, president of Ashesi University, says freedom of speech should be used to empower people to pursue their aspirations to become productive citizens.

He said there were limits to every freedom of speech and underscored the importance of using utterances to prepare the future leadership of the nation.

Dr Awuah, who is also the founder of Ashesi University, said this during a discussion on the topic “Freedom of Speech and Academic Freedom, Where Do We Draw the Line?”

The programme was organised by the Harvard Club of Ghana in collaboration with the University of Ghana Faculty of Law.

Dr Awuah said freedom of speech in the university space was characterised by rules and regulations to ensure orderliness and peaceful coexistence.

“Free speech in the university does not mean to harass any member or create a hostile atmosphere between faculty members and students.

"Speech is not only what you say but also your actions," he said.

He called for a new paradigm to address issues associated with freedom of speech and academic freedom, devoid of any acrimony.

Dr Awuah acknowledged the importance of artificial intelligence, which he described as a powerful technology that should be used for the development of society.

Justice William Atuguba, a retired Supreme Court Judge, urged all to be decorum in their utterances, saying "Freedom of expression does not mean to insult."

He called for a conscious effort to unite the country to chart the path to sustainable development.

Justice Atuguba called for a national dialogue on the ownership of media by politicians to champion their interests to the detriment of the national agenda.

"Ghana is governed by a constitution, and it is imperative to place our loyalty to the nation," he said.

Mrs Charlotte Osei, a former Electoral Commissioner, stated that media pluralism had contributed to the abuse of freedom of expression, which needed urgent attention.

She said the activities of party foot soldiers, who called in radio and television programmes to attack personalities were not healthy discourse and must be discouraged.

Dr Songu Delle, president of the Harvard Club of Ghana, said the discussions were expected to stimulate national debate on the theme prior to the elections to advance the country’s democratic credentials.