Opinions of Tuesday, 24 July 2018

Columnist: Joel Savage

Stop the antagonism politics in Ghana and help Akufo Addo’s government

Mr John Mahama and president Akufo-Addo Mr John Mahama and president Akufo-Addo

No matter how effective a leader is certain factors can hamper his efforts leading to hostility, slow development, anger and frustration in a country.

Apart from corruption, two issues which have drastically taken its toll on Ghanaian politics are armed robbery and political antagonism.

The present political situation in Ghana, in regards to the impact of corruption, the imposition of higher tariffs on imported goods and the exorbitant prices of both foreign and locally manufactured products, are enough to reveal that Ghana is struggling to maintain a flexible economy.

Instead of all the political parties coming together to find common solutions, suggest ways to create employment and develop the country, the New Patriotic Party is under constant attack from opposition parties, especially, the NDC, while the NDC also experience the same.

Such antagonism political atmosphere in Ghana is pulling down the country and not helping Ghana in anyway, It’s also divides a country which citizens aren’t interested in political violence.

The NPP and NDC members keep exchanging insults. In many African countries, experience reveals a similar issue leading to political violence. I want to use this platform to humbly ask Ghanaians to stop the uncivilized behavior and help Nana Akufo Addo’s government to make Ghana a better place.

Such political antagonism can never help a nation to thrive or flourish. This is one of the reasons Ghanaians see no progress in the country and are now blaming Nana Akufo-Addo for all the hardships, without taking into consideration the shortest period this president has been in office.

Political opponents spend time posting angry, abusive and discriminating comments and articles against each other and think such articles will help Ghana as a nation. Antagonism politics is killing Ghana at a very fast rate like how corruption is having serious implications for Ghana.

Anger and insults have now become identified with Ghanaian politics and no political party is prepared to help each other or help other parties succeed because of greed and corruption.

It is not beyond belief to imagine how Ghana can be transformed under multiple plans, solutions, and opinions from different political parties. If no political party is willing to help the present Ghanaian government to restore Ghana to its former state, then no one should be a stumbling block to his efforts.

Finding solutions to curb and reduce armed robbery in Ghana

Armed robbery doesn’t only put the lives of Ghanaians in danger but it also affects the development of a country. No matter how great Ghana’s political history is, with wonderful site attractions, the country can never earn enough foreign exchange if armed robbery is prevalent in the country. Armed robbery scares tourists because it’s a crime.

There are many ways to reduce armed robbery in every country, I will, therefore, share my opinions if they will be useful to the Ghanaian government. There are too many illegal firearms in Ghana because, either sold to the armed robbers by some policemen or snatched away by the robbers.

How can the Ghanaian government get back all the illegal firearms circulating in the country? This is where the Ghanaian government has to build a friendly relationship with robbers and thieves and call for the submission of all illegal firearms. The government must give anyone who submits one gun a good specified amount.

The government has to give them full assurance by not breaking the assurance that it is a trap to arrest them. They are hungry and unemployed, the reason many are in armed robbery, therefore, if they gain any confidence in the government to submit an illegal firearm, the government shouldn’t abuse that trust to arrest any of them.

In Venezuela, which has one of the world’s highest crime rate, taking illegal guns from criminals became the government’s priority. A pilot project in the rural Barlovento region, east of the capital, Caracas, negotiated with 280 criminal gangs, comprising about 10,000 members, to hand over their weapons in exchange for jobs and funding for small businesses and it worked.

If this plan works, the Ghanaian government will see how many guns brave hungry robbers will submit to them.

Another solution is giving armed robbers education to integrate into the society. A special vocational school must be set up to train them in fields such as carpentry, mason, plumbers, drivers, This is a way to give them a second life to avoid being a menace to the society.

Criminal records reveal that thieves and armed robbers after prison sentence go back to their old bad habits because the society is no friend to them. The set up a vocational school will educate those outgoing prisoners to live a useful and purposeful life.

My dear, Nana Akufo Addo, I don’t like politics, and I am not a member of any Ghanaian political party, but since I want you to be different and special among the past Ghanaian leaders, and transform Ghana to be a better place for everyone including me to enjoy, I will humbly ask you as a leader to try what I have suggested in this article and see if Ghana will not be free from armed robbers.

Please, don't ignore this article. Thank you.