Opinions of Wednesday, 14 June 2017

Columnist: Alhaji Alhasan Abdulai

Daily deaths of innocent persons must end with the lynching of Major Adam Mahama

Late Captain Adam Mahama left behind a wife and two children Late Captain Adam Mahama left behind a wife and two children

We continue experiencing daily killings as another police man has been killed by people riding a motor bike at Tema, after a lady suspected as a witch has been lynched in the north with another young man killed over ghc1. 50 pesewas...

Following the untimely death of Maxwell Adam Mahama of the Ghana Army through mob action and his burial by the state, majority of people in the entire nation who learned about how the young man died are sad.

All those with conscience would continue to ask why a group of people from Ghana known worldwide as a God fearing nation, would brutalize an innocent person for not committing any offence? Sad as it is the premature death of Major Mahama has led to him leaving behind a wife and two children with his mother and father both alive who feel deprived of a dear son.

The Government on its part has responded quite well by setting up a fund for the family of the late Major with the former President John Mahama also giving promise to offer support for the family.

Many young men and women suspected to be part of those who lynched Major Mahama have been arrested to face the law courts while some 12 alleged principal actors in the case have also been placed on police wanted list with the assurance from the police that they would soon be apprehended.

The government which naturally got incensed about the issue has acted swiftly to the admiration of people in and outside Ghana with a vow to punish all those to be found guilty for killing Major Mahama.

The chiefs and subjects of Denkyira Obuase in the Central Region have shown remorse by organizing rituals and asking for forgiveness from their gods, the Almighty and the state on behalf of those who committed the heinous offence.

It is a good move but information streaming currently indicates that the death of Major Mahama has led to town being deserted by its inhabitants. The murder of the soldier has affected farming and trading rendering the inhabitants poor and hungry.

It appears that the entire nation and its people young and old would in unison decide not ever to take part in actions that would lead to continuous loss of life through murder in Ghana.

Apart from the fact that the security system is likely to take drastic action on murderers in the country, every parent would offer advice to the youth over the consequences of radicalism.

Pastors and imams and heads of educational institutions would definitely admonish their underlings to stay clear from rowdy actions.

Sadly though currently we still hear of innocent people being killed daily over land, chieftaincy and allegations of people suspected to be witches and wizards.

To succeed in eliminating mob actions in Ghana, we need to embark on the following actions;

The government should support the National Commission for Civic Education and religious leaders to go round the country to sensitize people on how to tackle issues regarding suspects.

They must be told that it is wrong and an offence to lynch suspects. The youth should also be educated by the group on the danger of taking the law in their hands.

In educating the youth the group must take people especially the youth through the rules on how to organize demonstrations and civil actions on all matters that include labor, land and chieftaincy.

Major Mahama is dead and gone. However, his death is likely to open a vista for the nation to check mob injustice and illegal killings in Ghana now and the future.