A march of bishops, Imams and Akomfo in protest against political vigilantism
Violence becomes a culture when the violent are made to know (by government) that no force can stand in their way or that the counter-force (that is the police, the military) are subject to the control of politicians.
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Law & Order collapses completely when the judge or magistrate, who has taken a vow to administer justice without fear or favour, finds himself or herself overpowered by fear of the accused.
When a judge remands a criminal or sends a violent man or woman to jail and evil people overpower the police or prison warden to free the criminal, then we cease to have government: we would have descended into statelessness.
Why are we so helpless? The answer is simple. It is because a political party wants to retain or recapture power.
Hear what the New Patriotic Party (NPP) said at a press conference in September 2009 when a man named Fred Tetteh is said to have opened fire in broad day light at a crowd of NPP supporters at Chereponi:
“The man who engaged in this senseless shooting was later seen jogging with the National Democratic Congress (NDC) supporters in Chereponi town.” It said “the said shooter, who upon apprehension by security authorities at Chereponi claimed to be a National Security Operative, was later transferred to Accra for further investigations. So far it does appear that the law enforcement agencies are in no hurry at all to deal with this case.”
The NPP press conference ended on a philosophical, if not prophetic, note: “Obviously, once perpetrators are not brought to book, the state would only succeed in encouraging and entrenching impunity.”
Similar sentiments were expressed after the incident at Agbogbloshie in which Ursula Owusu was attacked and wounded by a group of people whose pictures were published in the Daily Guide newspaper.
Nothing happened
Fast forward to October 2017: “Supporters of feuding executives of the NPP in the Karaga Constituency have vandalised party installation, a military van and invaded a police station in a spread of violence that continues to rock the Northern Region...The violence began Monday afternoon with an attack on the Youth Employment coordinator who is also the constituency youth organiser over the appointment of some youth into the security service.
Nothing has happened
By their count, the Citi Breakfast Show team could list 17 cases of violence perpetrated by vigilante groups since the NPP came to power, including the most heinous assault on the judiciary when, on March 24, 2017, members of the pro-NPP vigilante group, Delta Forces, stormed a Kumasi Circuit Court, overwhelmed the police, nearly assaulted the judge and freed 13 of their members being tried for vandalising property at the Ashanti Regional Coordinating Council.
The Ghana Bar Association (GBA) condemned the Delta Force action as an attack on the rule of law, warning that “the incident was ushering in an era of anarchy, chaos and lawlessness”
Yet for this crime, the thugs were fined GH¢1,800 each – no fault of the judge: that is what the substituted charge by the Attorney General merited.
Reaction to this has been swift. The Ghana Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana) has said, among others, that the “slap-on-the-wrist punishment .... only reinforces the unfortunate impression that incumbent party members and affiliates who break the law can count on the protection of the powers-that-be, and would not face the full rigors of the law.”
I have a piece of advice for the NPP and it comes from the Mfantse people of Ghana. “Innyim wu a hwe nda”, to wit, “sleep is death’s best photograph”. I am sure my translation is not the most apt, but I count on Professor Kwesi Yankah and Professor Opanyin Agyekum, two of the nation’s best linguists, to supply the appropritate interpretation.
One of the richest governments in Ghana’s political history, a party whose line-up of projects dwarfs most governments, has just lost an election. They were so sure of victory that they are still unable to come to grips with the loss; hence the Kwesi Botchwey Committee.
The NDC loss is a message to all – that Ghanaians love projects, but they value their worth and their security more. Ghanaians kicked against impunity on December 7.
Give us One-District, One-Factory; One Million Dollars Per Constituency. The political generosity can even spread to One Ghanaian, One Storey building. They will all mean nothing to the Ghanaian if the citizen doesn’t feel safe; if they feel some people are counting themselves more privileged or protected than the rest.
The Ethiopians say that “Little by little, the egg will walk”. The Mfantse people say “Fa to do, fa to do na oye adzesoa”; in other words, one light weight on another light weight soon becomes a pile you cannot lift.
As one solution, I advocate a march by all religious groups, led by (Arch)bishops, General Overseers, pastors, prophets, Imams, Sheikhs, Akomfo (traditional priests) and all spiritual leaders who have a third eye or can fly out of their bodies. It will be a protest against impunity and senselessness and political vigilantism. I propose a “One District, One Protest March”, ending with a meeting with political vigilantes. Try it: Every Ghanaian will respond to the invitation of an Imam, prophet, okomfo or known occultist.