- No matter what stealing by stealth, at gun point and by the pen are all stealing and has the potential to kill.
No matter what, a thief is a thief by the basic definition and should be dealt by the law accordingly and appropriately. Stealing in basic terms is taking, possessing or keeping someone’s belonging or property unwillingly or without the owner knowingly. Moreover, from the bible standpoint a thief is depicted as someone who has come to take someone’s belongings or possessions unwillingly and of the potential to kill. Using or creating fictitious documents to possess unwillingly is stealing. With that said, keeping and/or abusing Ghana’s money unlawfully; faking documentations to swindle Mother Ghana’s money into individual pockets and/or overcharging Ghana more than required is stealing and tantamount to the necessary lawful consequences.

Irrespective of the type of stealing the underlying results is “killing” either directly, indirectly, instantly or gradually which the subsequent paragraphs shows some examples. Stealing by stealth is characterized by not using any force but force e applied when operation is busted and thief trying to escape. At the gun point stealing uses force while stealing by the pen operation involves falsifying documentations and signing unwarranted deals with the aim of stealing. Common to all, is the potential of unwillingly possessing, causing harm and/or killing either instantly or gradually which “all die be die”. Stealing by stealth and by the gun could be look to as “uneducated stealing” since generally practiced by people who may have no to low level of education. However, by the pen stealing is normally characterized by some level of education or intellect to make false, fictitious or fake documents/documentation, or scam to steal unnoticeably or swindle the victims.

While stealing by stealth occurs during victim unawareness or absence are mostly domestic like pickpocketing, stealing of goats, sheep, car parts, clothing, electronic or in general domestic belongings, etc. This often results in emotional stresses on the part of the victims and/or possible depression if the stealing is successful. In some cases, where the stealing event becomes unsuccessful because of victim awareness there could be injuries, loss of lives and/or property damage. Robbing at gun point is by force and could involve individuals or a gang attacking individuals, families, travelling bus, facilities such as a bank, hotel, to name a few. The effect of stealing at gun point on victim(s) is of a higher magnitude compared to that by the stealth and mostly results in loss of lives, raping, kidnapping, assaulting, abusing, shootings, property destruction, etc. By the gun point stealing is characterized by long lasting or lifelong emotional effects on victim(s). However, stealing by the pen has effects spanning across organization (s)/companies, countries, continents and worldwide. The effect is of colossal magnitude which could directly or indirectly ruins an organization, companies, nation or continent with consequences including mass loss of lives. This is prevalent in developing nations because of little to no accountability, high illiteracy rate, dictatorship style of ruling, pseudo- democratic rule of law, citizens not knowing or empowered to know their rights, no proper checks and balances, corruption accepted as part of the societal fabrics, and governmental positions seen as opportunities to milk the cow to name a few. This may explain the current state of Africa.
Consequently, the effects of stealing by the pen is poor roads with frequent accidents leading to loss of lives and properties, bad road networks with delays retarding a country’s progress, no proper medical care resulting in ill-health and death eventually; no mechanized farming, hence, whole country goes hungry and imports food at high costs and charges, no factories to export value added goods/products to earn some foreign exchange but rather importation to lose on charges and overcharges to bill Mother Ghana. Such a situation breeds greed, corruption, unaccountability, unresponsiveness and dampens patriotism. How come an official charged to serve a nation build mansions upon mansions within a year of service with the same assumed civil service salary which others are barely keeping afloat? Is there any justification and accountability - and to who? Is the government spending lavishly to support amassing wealth phenomena as justification? Is the government mismanaging the country funds? Where are the checks and balances?
Despite the effect of stealing by the pen is of high magnitude, disastrous and catastrophic which we are all aware; thieves characterized by stealth and by gun point are often subject to instant harsher, and extreme punishments than their counterparts by the pen. We know a suspect cannot be charged and/or convicted until proven guilty, however, suspects of stealing by the stealth and at gun point are often judged instantly while by the pen are favored by several truth shielding, justice obstruction, corruptness to name a few in situations where there are several high officials’ involvements or for partisan’s reasons. Why are by the pen thieves in most cases treated with dignity in our system even when found guilty? How fair is our system?
In my view, using Ghana’s money and/or resources lavishly as if they were not yours, wrong planning and applying bad strategies for Ghana to cause financial and resource losses and/or draining national coffers unreasonably, applying systems with the target to embezzle the nation, wasting Ghana’s resources through incompetence, abusing ones office, not seeking the welfare of Ghana, scheduling unnecessary meetings to attract per diem, and likes could all ruin Mother Ghana with the consequence being disastrous on the citizens of Ghana with death in the long term. The position one is entrusted with is not for the fun but for the trust that one can handle and protect the nation as well as lives. It is so surprising to know that the people supporting and executing by the pen stealing are the same people complaining about the hardship in the system forgotten their own actions are the consequences.
I will conclude by saying, the power of the “pen” need not be underestimated. To every action there is a reaction; similarly, there is a cause and effect, hence, whatever we do either directly or indirectly have effects on lives and the economy of Ghana. Look at the number of children selling in harms-ways on our streets, look at the current energy situation in Ghana, how often is your tap running water and are we drinking good water? Is our system improving or just a mirage? Are we going forward, matching time or backwards? Do we know the effects of our action? Let all be responsible and uphold the name of Ghana. “All die be die” so as the effects of stealing by the pen, by the gun and by stealth which all have the intent to cause harm and/or kill on different scales, hence, should be punishable to the full extent of the law not to ruin the nation. Brethren, I will say look at the long term impacts of your actions and refrain from doing wrong. Let’s do our best to safeguard the nation and make life worth living for generations to come.
God bless.
Alexander Anim-Mensah
Dayton Ohio
alexraymonda@yahoo.com