NPP Must Deal With Worsening Crime Situation

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In my recent article entitled, “Yahunu Difference” I argued that the NPP’s six-year administration led by President John Agyekum Kuffour (JAK), has done demonstrably well, when stacked against that of Jerry “boom” Rawling’s (JJs) P/NDC 21-year rule of Ghana. Surprisingly, I received a volume of comments in support and against my assertion from a cross section of Ghanaians of divergent political, socio-economic and demographic spectrums. Those who disagreed with my stand mistook my preference for NPP to NDC in the 2008 presidential elections to mean that, I pretentiously believe that the current government does not have any flaws, and that there are no major problems facing the country that warrants urgent attention. Of course, I am not that naïve. My claim notwithstanding, I believe that all contributors to the discourse are patriotic and well-meaning compatriots who wish nothing but the best for our dear nation.

I still support NPP and expect them to win the 2008 presidential election, because the JAK has implemented sound economic policies that have brought economic stability to the nation. As I argued in my earlier article, six years is not enough to rectify or undo a mismanagement of 21 years by JJ and the P/NDC. To buttress my point, Doubting Thomases should read “Ghana Has Made Progress,” an article that was published on this medium on 4th January, 2007. Nonetheless, the salient concerns raised by critics, and even some ardent NPP sympathizers, must be given serious consideration by the administration. Problems deemed critical by respondents, in the order of grave concern, are crimes (particularly armed robbery), apparent culture of corruption, immense poverty, heightened ethnic divide, lack of probity and accountability by our leaders. For the sake of brevity, time and space, I will only endeavor to probe into the issue of crime and the seeming inability of the government to combat it aggressively and swiftly.

Besides the NPP official spinning that crime is under control in the country, just about all and sundry believe that armed robbery vis-à-vis the overall crime situation in Ghana is getting worse by the day. Armed criminals mercilessly attack anyone, at any place and time with impunity. I would save readers time and not cite a litany of incidents of armed robbery in the country in the last couple of years that has brought a great deal of fear and anxiety.

Thus, it begs the question why the government has not come up with a well-articulated strategy for identifying and prosecuting these gangsters who have been terrorizing innocent citizens. To do anything contrary would be a dereliction of duty, as the central role of any government is to protect the life and property of its citizenry. Any delay in this direction would erase if not obliterate all of the socio-economic gains by the administration. It is, therefore, incumbent on JAK and his team to use all available means to proactively and relentlessly fight this monstrosity called armed robbery, for the buck stops at the president’s desk!

The government should come up with a mechanism to finding a lasting solution to these problems. The effort must include increased allocation of the required resources such as state-of-art crime-fighting equipment, sophiscated weaponry, increased police patrol vehicles, and doubling of quick-response task forces that include personnel from all law enforcement agencies.

Other effective crime-fighting means are for the government to overhaul the entire criminal justice system to facilitate timely disposal of criminal cases, especially those associated with armed robbery. It would be commendable for the government to commission a study group that would focus on crime patterns, punishment, and crime prevention strategies. The NPP-dominated parliament should also revamp the criminal sentencing standards and guidelines to effectively deal with violent criminals, including the introduction of life imprisonment and death sentencing. In addition, the civil society should compliment the above-mentioned government efforts by forming neighborhood watch associations (NWA) throughout the country to support local police in identifying and rooting out criminals.

For the government to sustain its current level of macro economic achievements, massive infrasturactural development, substantial social welfare programs, and promotion of democratic principles such as freedom of speech and the rule of law, it must deal with this crime situation. Maintaining security in Ghana is a necessary prerequisite for a sustainable political stability and economic development. I have no doubt that NPP is equal to this task.