The Minister of State in charge of Government Communications, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, has described threats to kill President John Dramani Mahama and his children as ‘brazen criminality,’ insisting that such acts must not be defended under the guise of free speech.

Speaking on behalf of the President at the 30th Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) Media Awards in Accra on Saturday, November 7, 2026, he cautioned political leaders against defending violent rhetoric for partisan political gains.

He said threats against the President and his family go beyond the boundaries of democratic expression and should be treated as criminal conduct.

"For instance, threatening to kill a president and his children is not free speech. It is brazen criminality. We, as political leaders, must not lend support to this level of criminality only because it enures to the benefits of our political fortunes," he stated.

Kwakye Ofosu, however, cautioned against using the fight against hate speech as an excuse to suppress legitimate criticism and dissent.

Mahama government won't silence critics, but hate speech is different – Kwakye Ofosu

He stressed that disagreement is an essential component of democracy, but deliberate attempts to incite hatred, violence and intolerance should not be tolerated.

"Democracy thrives on disagreement, and what it cannot accommodate is the deliberate incitement of hatred, violence, and intolerance. A clear distinction must be struck between criminal conduct and the expression of free speech," he said.

The government spokesperson also called on political leaders to demonstrate consistency in defending press freedom, particularly when journalists face intimidation and threats over their work.

He recalled instances in which journalists in northern Ghana had to flee the country because they feared for their lives after publishing reports some individuals considered uncomfortable.

"Our words in support of free speech must not ring hollow, especially when in the north, in the past, journalists had to flee our country for fear for their lives because they published uncomfortable truths," he added.

MRA/EB

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