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Opinions of Thursday, 3 January 2013

Columnist: Appiah, Kofi

Security Services & Others Now Appendage To NDC’s Treachery ?

Friday, December 21, 2012, has come and gone and no, repeat no, military parade of their warfare through some selected streets of Accra ever took place. As usual, Ghanaians were yet awakened to hear of no show – AFAG’s excuse was that the regional police had issued a presidential fiat for the military/police to display their warfare through the principal streets of Accra on that particular day. Was it a diplomatic way of stopping them from the demonstration? Again, was it a shrewd way of ensuring that he sang his master’s voice to ensure continuity of service? Was the song well sung? Rather, was it the opposite that the song wasn’t sang at all? A week before that fateful Friday, information had gone to the police hier -archy in Accra notifying them of an AFAG demonstration to let Ghanaians and the world know of the current events prevailing in the country bordering mainly on the just ended elections. The Public Order Act as enshrined in the Constitution does not need any permission from the police but only to notify them and decide on the routes that would be used for such demonstration and the protection from them. The police had earlier consented but, lo and behold, the police and their colleague security agencies, quickly masterminded some diabolic plans as to how they could quickly counter and make nonsense of that demonstration to distract the attention of the public from participating. Even though prior to the day of the great demo, the police had agreed with them as to the routes et cetera, but sooner than later, the police came on air again with some flimsy excuse that the security agencies had been instructed by the president and commander-in-chief to commandeer and showcase the strength of their respective armories – i.e. to bring all the hidden weapons including the – te bofere (the shot gun whose barrel was used to pluck pawpaw from on high) since the Guggisberg days to the full glare of Ghanaians to know their firepower and combat readiness in case any group of persons had intended to bring some ‘dissidents’ in to cause commotion after the controversial elections. Ironically, Friday, December 21, has come and gone and neither the AFAG demonstration was allowed to take place nor the M16 jet fighter aircraft and other W.W.2 Russian tanks supposedly sitting idly at the armory released for display.


JAMMING OF FREQUENCY MODULATION (FM) STATION
As part of clandestine skirmishes to silence the masses and the NPP supporters from following the elections incoming results from the hinterlands, the National Communications Authority technical department situated at Labone near the South Africa High Commission, Accra, inarguably, was alleged and reported to have jammed the vociferous mouthpiece of the NPP nationwide so that the elections and its aftermath results would continue to remain in darkness for such teeming followers. Also, a fortnight or more prior to the elections, the same station’s (107.1 FM) sister television network, NET2, that also has a television coverage or facility for a sizeable portion of the viewers (about three-quarters of the southern sector and say, 30% of the northern sector) was cut off from watching television to know what was going on in the country. Why decide to indulge in these dirty politics for even the blind person to know the happenings on the ground? Childish, isn’t it? Such machiavellian tactics no longer work. The PR strategists pulled a fast one on Dr. Mensa Otabil and it never worked. They are defunct and have become extinct. Here again, no sane person would disagree with the writer that this nasty conduct did not have a stake with the government whose party was in serious pursuit of electioneering contest with the opposition that had a much stronger voter population than them. In view of the abysmal performance of government, the unjustified payment of judgment debts to Alfred Agbesi Woyome, African Automotive Company, CP, Isofoton, et cetera, collective -ly knocked the government to kiss the canvas in the elections. How come that the party whose candidate was trailing badly turn round to win the elections after the EC had intentionally switched off its website and only switch it on again to let the figures favour the party in power? Never again! “Okwasea hwaa yenntia so mmienu”, to wit, the fool’s testacles should not be toyed with twice or once bitten, twice shy. Afari Djan’s wicked and shameful conduct have broken the hearts of millions of Ghanaians so he should arrange to go to church immediately to confess his sinful nature to God through his pastor; reflect soberly and pray fervently for remission of sins against humanity otherwise, if he knew the tons of curses rained on him by unsuspecting genuine voters including the blind old lady who struggled through the thick queue to vote at a Kumasi polling station and the painful problems he might grapple with in life after the just ended elections he would have apologized by now. All the same, it would definitely affect him sooner than later one day and that would not be far from now. It is rather unfortunate that one of the world’s acclaimed electoral professors should be bowing out of office in shame.
MILITARY, POLICE AND EC NOW APPENDAGE?
The military and police high command were already aware of the non performing stance of the government but since they were subordinates of their supreme commander who doubles as a candidate for re-election with an opponent in a political contest, there was nothing much they could do than to suppress the AFAG from becoming popular and tried to thwart their efforts to please the paymaster. But what is written is written. Once the battle for the presidency was the Lord’s and not for man, they did all they could do but since their best did not satisfy God, the whole thing exploded for the world to know their evil deeds. Whether the AFAG were allowed to demonstrate or not, whether the forces displayed their armouries or not, the Supreme Court as the final arbiter will certainly unravel the hidden truth for the masses i.e. the opposition, so that eventually, when they determine the outcome of the controversial case that mostly dwells on facts and figures, most Ghanaians would restart with the celebration of the Xmas that had been characterized with the twisting of facts and falsified by Afari Djan’s hired STL. The SC would be bold to pronounce the winner as the vanquished and the vanquished as the winner after they have carefully checked and cross-checked the figures meticulously. One wonders whether the top echelon of the Ghanaian security services was aware of the political turmoil that metamorphosed into tsunami to sweep across the North African countries of Tunisia, Egypt, Morocco and later engulfed Libya to force their fearful, invincible and lifelong Muamar Gaddafi whose name was hardly mentioned without looking round one’s shoulders to flee from Tripoli to hide in the concrete tunnel in his hometown Sirte to fight his opposition compatriots. When he was finally over -powered by thousands of soldiers, they killed and slaughtered him like a sheep on a butcher’s table on Thursday, October 11, 2011 to send signals to future despots. Intimidation from the security, suppression of the populace and culture of silence that reigned supreme in Libya were the factors that broke the camel’s back. Gaddafi’s senior military officers had to equally flee the country for fear of recriminations from the civilians. It is hoped that our security capos would be alive to their professional responsibilities of service to the State instead of worshipping tin-gods, such as the EC and his accomplices in the life and death of millions and relegating professionalism to the dogs. If Mr. Afari Djan knew no condition was ever permanent, he and his collaborators would not have been petty about money to do what they did. Political scale could easily tilt one day so therefore the best and wise option available to them was to have acted profes -sionally to displease the government in power to avert the wrath of the people. What really prompted him at all to engage in illegalities to plunge the country in a near civil war? If it is an offence and criminal for anybody to vote twice; why did some of his officials register minors in the first place? if anybody contravenes and flouted this directive, that person was liable to be convicted and prosecuted; and, when found guilty, sentenced to jail. Those EC officials who, by greed of monetary gains openly succumbed to pressures from above to act invariably at the collating centres should not be left off the hook by the courts as well. By displaying bias and ignorance to falsify huge and gargantuan figures to please an individual, should not be spared time to enjoy life outside the prison gates but to be sacri -ficed as Achans to allow peace to prevail in Ghana. Sadly enough, some West African leaders force their security capos to act unprofessionally to the dislike of their countrymen, so anytime they were booted out from power; it was they who suffered the full brunt of victimization through dismissals, demotions and such others.
CRUSADE
In view of the prevailing circumstances, I would personally wage a soloist crusade against the security capos who have allowed themselves to be used as political stooges, batmen and doormats to harass and/or persecute their innocent fellow countrymen/women because of one politician’s personal interest to entrench oneself in power at all cost. The author does not intend to demean them but neither believes that the Ghanaian servicemen were like their counterparts elsewhere, but if available evidence proves direct complicity, then, soon after the Supreme Court genuine ruling upturns the illegal verdict of declaring JM as the winner to favour Nana Akufo Addo, such persons should not be surprised to lose their jobs; especially, those who have been retired but re-instated to do the dirty work of government. They would be forced to pack bag and baggage, suspend their salaries, and asked to surrender their official vehicles and leave their bungalows immediately. They would also cease the enjoyment of the full salaries and other fringe benefits/stipend accorded them at the expense of the tax payer and the youthful and energetic officers who could be promoted to fill their places when they were no more.
CONSOLIDATION
It is the prayer of every sane Ghanaian that the Supreme Court ruling will be in favour of the opposition NPP to deter and check future electoral cheats, vampires and misfits to rule this country. When that was done, it will ensure the consolida -tion of our democracy; it would again propel Ghana to be the beacon of hope and democratic governance in this sub-region, and Africa and finally travels an extra mile outside the continent to compete with the world’s developed economies. I urge all patriotic and sympathetic Ghanaians at home and abroad including the Diaspora to marshal forces together (excluding the likes of the military/police, the NCA and EC turncoat politicians) and like the Israelites with the prayerful songs akin to the Negroes Spirituals marching round the Walls of Jericho, take the necessary steps to get rid of this insensitive government so that the host of deviants, miscreants, nincompoops, old and new evil dwarfs with sharp teeth in the system, will be flushed out of politics to the doldrums to set the hearts of the Rawlingses at peace. Finally, we should not allow the Mahama-led NDC to mortgage the life of our children, grand-children and great grand-children to be toyed with clueless programs again so that the free senior high school concept being propagated by NPP for technical, vocational and other category would come to fruition and better the lives and be a relief to all.
ADMONITION Before the curtain is drawn down, I would urge all those who, by nefarious or clandestine means, nocturnal, diverse or advisory, monetary or vehicular gift or whatever contribution, conspired to plunge this country into a near civil war after the election bow their heads in shame. If it were not but for the wisdom and God’s guidance on the opposition hierarchy, Ghana would not be at peace today. However, I would sing together with King David one of his solemn and prayerful hymns whenever his nation Israel was hopelessly in distress and ready to be attacked by the surrounding nations from all angles. And that hymn is chosen from my Good News Bible – Psalm 83:13-18 “Scatter them like dust O God, like straw blown away by the wind. 14 As fire burns the forest, as flames set the hills on fire, 15 Chase them away with your storm and terrify them with your fierce winds. 16 Cover their faces with shame, O Lord, and make them acknowledge your power. 17 May they be defeated and terrified for ever; 18 May they know that you alone are the Lord, supreme ruler over all the earth”. Some section of Ghanaians that had been enumerated in this write up including the NDC who represent the biblical nations that surrounded Israel should be jointly and severally punished and consumed by fire from the above hymn just as spiritual hymns by Israel helped break the mighty walls of Jericho. After reading the text they should never ever dream to plan anything evil when genuine verdict was given by the court otherwise the wrath of God should visit seven generational plagues on their families starting from them now. However, in giving the verdict, the court should be reminded of the story of Ananias and Sapphira from the Book of Acts, Chapter 5:1-10 of the Bible where both lied before the apostles to incur the wrath of the Holy Spirit and not men and finally paid priceless wage with their lives. Ghana stands at the crossroads: to the north is Burkina Faso; to the south is the Gulf of Guinea (that is our Red Sea); to the east is Togo and to the west is Cote d’Ivoire from where the Egyptians of old will be chasing us with their chariots because, allegedly, Ghana has accommo -dated some dissidents to destabilize them. In this case, did we go or did we come, one may ask? The French language might pose an uphill task for most of us as refugees (may God forbid)! The Supreme Court also equally stands before the throne of God the Omnipotent at the crossroads i.e. Apostle Peter and Co. representing the millions of Ghanaians that voted for a change. If you decide to lie and refuse to give truthful and impartial judgment might receive instant justice yourselves from the Holy Spirit to lose your lives because the ‘stolen verdict’ is an embodiment of the life, body and soul of Ghanaians that did not vote for JM. All that is required was impartial and credible judgment devoid of favour to earn your eternal salvation. Truth is only one and there will be no peace if there was no justice. If you muster courage to pronounce truth and genuine verdict will help earn your dignity, integrity and respect for yourselves, families and your dignified profession and could probably be singularly knighted by Her Majesty the Queen of England. Mortal man born of woman would always lead you astray to do evil. The onus is on all of you, especially Madam Georgina Theodora Wood; the break or make of Ghana rests on your collective shoulders and it is imperatively hoped that your experience and avalanche of expertise would be brought to bear on you all to prove your worth as eminent and patriotic citizens without fear or favour to the delight of majority of Ghana -ians and almost all the international community including representatives from the UN, the Commonwealth, the AU, ECOWAS, the ACP, the Queen’s Counsel et al who will assemble with their paparazzi teams to cover the proceedings live. It is being rumoured that some $1m (bribe) is being arranged for …. But if it were so, please, remember your motherland. This is the mother of all judgments in Ghana. I rest my case.
HUMOUR – If I were President Mahama, I would humbly request for postpone -ment of the swearing-in date since a possible reversal of the verdict could be suicidal and an unprecedented humiliation for me.

By: kofiappiah2002@yahoo.com