It is acceptable for Ghana’s Deputy Minister of Information, Hon. Felix Kwakye Ofosu to accuse the New Patriotic Party (NPP) for being the cause of the reason for the U.S Embassy in Ghana to issue an alert cautioning its citizens against the possible outbreak of violence in the aftermath of the Supreme Court judgment.

There is nothing wrong with the U.S Embassy issuing travel warning and security advice to its citizens in the country, warning them of a potential increase in political tensions and the possibility of isolated violence in association with the anticipation of Judgment Day decision. This is the hallmark of an effective government. Arguably, U.S. intelligence network in Ghana is efficient and for them to come out with such warnings or alert cannot be brushed aside by the Hon. Deputy Minister for the sake of party propaganda. Hon. Felix Kwakye Ofosu’s pronouncements are childish and smell of propaganda, this should be condemned in its strongest terms by all good-hearted Ghanaians. Where lays the facts of his utterances? Did he consult the security agencies in Ghana? These periodic warnings after all, are precautionary measures, but here we go again, NDC propagandists have jumped on the bandwagon and are playing politics with the nation’s security. Is it not advisable that in these trying times we do our best to shun propaganda and stick to facts? How on earth will the US security agencies rely on NPP’s word of mouth to issue serious security warning to its citizens in Ghana? I honestly believe that the Hon. Deputy Minister would have served his mother Ghana better by desisting from political polarisation and explain to Ghanaians the simple reason why governments issue security warning to its citizens abroad. What has Ms. Hannah Tetteh not told Ghanaians in Egypt, a country currently undergoing through political tensions? Has she not recently advised Ghanaians in Egypt to be extra careful and stay away from certain areas in Egypt? Is there anything wrong with this advice to Ghanaian citizens in Egypt? Is she not advising Ghanaians in Egypt to be extra careful? If not, then why do we attempt to consign the U.S government warning its citizens about their personal safety in the light of political tensions in the country as irrelevant? We cannot sit on the fence and compare eggs with tomatoes on the question of the U.S government advising its citizens on travel warnings and security alerts in Ghana, Mr Deputy Minister, let us be real. In a worse scenario, Hon. Kwakye Ofosu who is trivialising the U.S warning to its own citizens in Ghana would be the first man to jump on the airplane to seek political asylum in the U.S, U.K, Canada or elsewhere in a situation of heightened tension and what would be the fate of those Ghanaians who do not even have passports let alone the financial resources to fly out to seek political asylum elsewhere?.

Of course, “God forbid” is the language of the Ghanaian in suggestions of extreme situations but if push comes to shove, each one of us would have to survive by whatever means it takes. It therefore behoves on our Government to assure us of the mechanisms that have been put in place by our security forces to handle all issues of possible unrests should they occur. In our country where the ratio of police forces to the citizenry is 1:750, we need to be convinced of the safety of every individual in the country and not take things for granted. We do not want an Ivory Coast, a Kenyan or an Egyptian experience to visit our country, so our security forces must be strengthened and well equipped to contain and dispel any pockets of violence before we are taken by surprises.

But to the Deputy Minister all I can say is grow up.

London Wednesday, 21 August 2013