Opinions of Monday, 10 June 2013

Columnist: The Scandal

Drugs and corruption; the two evil twins that even Satan dreads

On their own, each one is very dangerous. Together they make the most formidable team that has brought nations and empires to their knees.

Drug trafficking is a billion dollar trade. There is so much money in it, it can tempt even Jesus. Some even argue that the creature that took Jesus to the top of the mountain and showed him the kingdoms of the world and asked to be worshipped was a drug baron.

Corruption, on the other hand, is the fertile land on which evil money grows. It represents a shameless devilish spirit that takes food from the mouth of poor widows and children without as much as a wink of guilt.

When these two evils combine their forces they can take on anything and anyone. The story last week of how a Security Chief at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA) was busted over cocaine in the United States of America must be worrying to anyone who cares about this country.

It will not be the first time that a high profile personality from Ghana has been nabbed with cocaine. A Member of Parliament was in 2006 also arrested in the USA for trafficking cocaine. But what makes the recent arrest extra alarming is that it has come too close to our national security. To think that the man who was responsible for aspects of security at the Nation’s main airport was himself involved in drug trafficking is mind-blowing.

The suspected drug dealer, Mr. Solomon Adelequaye, was the Managing Director of Sohin Security Company, the security company that was responsible for security at the Kotoka International Airport until his arrest. He is also alleged to be a close pal of Ghana’s National Security Coordinator. In fact, some people believe that it was his closeness to the National Security Coordinator that landed him the contract to manage security at the Airport. After all the contracts of some other security companies had to be terminated to make way for Mr. Adelaquaye’s company.

In countries like Guinea Bissau reports say Police Chiefs, Military Chiefs, and Secret Service Chiefs have all at one time of the other been agents of drug barons and have literally hijacked the nation’s political class and Government. Some even describe the small West African Country as a failed nation. Today, Guinea Bissau can hardly hold itself together.

This report from Guinea Bissau should send pangs of fears to anyone who cares about our country Ghana. How insulated are our Police Chiefs, Military Chiefs and Secret Service Chiefs from the influence of Drug Barons? If a Member of Parliament was nabbed for cocaine, it means barons can infiltrate our legislature and also the Executive. As for the Judiciary, we are told by the experts that they are always the target of drug barons.

Already we are struggling with issues of corruption. If we allow Drug money to infiltrate the system, then we will surely lose the country. How a company belonging to a suspected drug baron passed through the scrutiny of the national security and got appointed to manage security at our main airport is a puzzle that will be difficult to solve. How many more institutions have already been infiltrated by these barons? Or have they taken over already? Scandal has it on authority that these Drug barons have their own Godfathers or is it Godmothers, who take care of their business. We are investigating recent movements in some security services and will bring you updates.