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Opinions of Thursday, 1 June 2017

Columnist: Raphael Derbie

Increasing level of crime & lawlessness in Ghana, is result of leadership failure

Delta Force Delta Force

Ghana is a Republican sovereign State which won her independence on 6th March,1957 through the fiat and instrumentality of a selfless leader, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah. The country is modify by Mother (Mother Ghana). The reason behind this modifier shall be elucidated one day to all cherished readers.

Mother Ghana, as we usually called, occupies an area of 238,540 sq. km and can be found on the West Coast of Africa. She is boarded by Burkina Faso on the Northern part, the Republic of Togo on the Eastern part, on the western side is Cote d' IVoire and the Southern part of the Coast-line of Ghana, is the Atlantic Ocean.

Mother Ghana is a famous country that gained the notoriety of immeasurable peace. Ghana has been an epitome to most countries within West Africa and beyond because of her uncompromising peaceful nature. She is highly cherished, respected and has lots of bilateral relationship with myriad of countries.

Mother Ghana until now, has enjoyed uninterrupted peace and unity since her independence. She however, for sometimes now, seems to be going a tangent that makes democracy unattractive. The recent happenings in the country has made democracy inimical to Ghanaians. The long established peace in the country is being speedily deteriorated because of leadership and institutional failures.

Mother Ghana is fast loosing leadership credibility because of partisan politics. It is an incontrovertible fact that partisan politics is rated so high that common sense seems to be lost in handling issues that requires common sense. This has pricked me to advocate for the organization of funeral ceremony to morn the death of common sense in Ghana to elicit citizens sympathy in order to reshape our ways of behaviour.

The constantly consistent failure of Ghanaians to wipe their uncontrollably fast flowing bloody tears is because we lack visionary leaders. I mean leaders who can envisage the future to preclude their electorates from what we are experiencing now.

Let me set the records straight. And am not by this saying everybody should agree with me. But this is my view on the recent untoward distasteful happenings in the country. I believe that things wouldn't have reached this level if our leaders and institutions were responsible enough to have dealt drastically with the 'minor cases' that started early this year. I mean the attacks on the ordinary citizens in offices by invincible forces. This opened the floodgate that gave way to all the happenings in the country. Let me state that the genesis of the recent calamity that befalls Mother Ghana, is the negligent, lack of vision, deliberate belittlement of these barbaric acts perpetuated by these people. Yes, one may not fathom but trust me, there is a linkage to that since the perpetrators were left unpunished.

You and I know very well that punishment is meted out to change undesirable behaviours and also deter others from toeing that line. Once people committed those dastardly heinous acts and went away freely, it motivates others to follow suit resulting in our endless tears flowing.

It is a fact that most people gained more courage and hope when a group manhandled a newly appointed regional security coordinator and went unpunished. The surprising thing is that the perpetrators were unlawfully freed from the court by Delta force that seems more powerful than the security and judiciary institutions. This is unprecedented in the history of Ghana.

Hmmmm it is a bitter truth that multifarious incidents that happened not quite long have a link up to the recent gruesome lunching of an innocent soul, a peace maker, a young, humble, kind and peaceful man whose duty was to provide security to the very people who betrayed him. Talk about the release of the Delta force who stormed a court and freed their fellow party affiliates. Talk about the Somanya brouhaha. The list goes on inexhaustible.

One may not be far from right to argue that leadership and institutional failure to handle these 'minor casas' seriously, has graduated to the death of a selfless, committed and dedicated military man. Mother Ghana is bleeding indeed. Is this the country Dr. Kwame Nkrumah left behind? Is this the Ghana we all know? Oh Mother Ghana! You are being dragged into the gutters by parochially motivated leaders. You are being disgraced by unscrupulous people who don't worth forgiveness. Hmmmm this is so pathetic. It is my prayer that the death of Captain Mahama Adams Maxwell will bring a total halt to the increasingly sadden change of Ghana into a violence, lawless and insecure country where all these incongruous behaviours are showing their ugly heads.

But let me state for a fact, though I do not hope for that, that yesterday was the attacks on ordinary Ghanaians. Today, it is attack of a military man. Tomorrow, it may be you the politicians or any other high profile person from the country. We all have a role to play. Let's play our parts well for a better Ghana.

It is a sacrosanct responsibility for us all to ensure that proper justice is done to these callous perpetrators. I am calling on all Ghanaians to distant ourselves from mob action. We must not resort to lawlessness to seek for justice.

I also want to use this opportunity to make a clarion call on leadership and the various institutions to naturally deal with issues as they may deserve. Our common sense must not be sold out to or replace with partisan politics for this will always be the results; lamentation and grieving over a spilled milk, shearing crocodile's tears when we are not unaware of what we are doing. I can still recall in chapter fourteen(14) of the ruling party's 2016 manifesto, first paragraph, "Ghanaians are becoming increasingly concerned about their security, due to the increasing levels of crime and lawlessness under the Mahama-led NDC government. Today Ghanaians do not feel safe. The Mahama-led NDC government has failed the people of Ghana in terms of the security of the country and its citizens. Our existing laws are largely not enforced, and when they are, they are done selectively, often with much interference from the executive".

The statement above indicates how passionately concern the president regarding to security issues in this country. It also demonstrates the president's awareness of lawlessness in the country.

I therefore, in the light of that want to conclusively state by adding my voice to the numerous voices calling on the president and the state institutions to swiftly act to forestall security and hope in the citizens of Mother Ghana. They should ensure that the existing laws are enforced without any selectivity or political favouritism.

If that is not done alacritously, I foresee total mayhem in no a long time. May Captain Mahama Adams rest in perfect peace. I fervently pray that God protects and give the wife and children sufficient space within them, to contain this heavy blow. May He favours them in all their entire lives.