Archbishop Dr Charles Agyinasare, Founder and Leader of Perez Chapel International, has urged Ghanaians to desist from normalising information disorder by circulating unverified allegations, threats and personal attacks on social media. He also condemned the increasing acceptance of abusive language and vulgarity in public discourse, stressing that citizens could demand accountability and expose corruption without undermining the dignity of others. Archbishop Agyinasare made the remarks when he preached at a joint service in Accra on Sunday to climax a week-long Breakthrough Conference.
His sermon was on the theme: “Watch Your Words: The Power and Responsibility of Our Speech.”“You can expose corruption without insulting people’s humanity,” he said, urging Ghanaians to uphold decency and mutual respect in their use of digital platforms. He observed that the widespread adoption of smartphones and digital platforms had democratised broadcasting, but had also heightened the risk of spreading misinformation, damaging reputations and contributing to increasingly abusive public discourse.
According to him, the ease with which information could be created, published and shared placed a greater responsibility on users to verify facts before posting, commenting on or circulating content. “We live in the age of the microphone,” he said, stressing that the instant global reach provided by digital platforms came with a responsibility to ensure that information shared was truthful and responsible.
Archbishop Agyinasare cautioned that unverified claims posted online could quickly gain traction and become widely accepted as fact if they were not challenged. He therefore encouraged Christians to ensure that their speech reflected their faith and urged social media users to apply a four-fold test before posting: “Is it true? Have I established the facts? Is it gracious? Can I say it without humiliating someone?”
Drawing lessons from Matthew 13:35, Ephesians 5:4 and Colossians 4:6, Archbishop Agyinasare reminded believers that every individual was created in the image of God and therefore deserved to be treated with dignity, even in the face of differing opinions. He urged Ghanaians to use their digital influence responsibly by promoting truth, elevating public discourse and helping to build a more respectful society.
