Opinions of Friday, 15 September 2017

Columnist: Fadi Dabbousi

Ghana Police: Citizens are not enemies of the State

Fadi Dabbousi Fadi Dabbousi

It is necessarily a necessity to speak out against the many complaints about some elements in the Police Service. Since the assumption of Office as the IGP, David Asante Apeatu has tried to instill better discipline and professionalism into the Police Service. Unfortunately, some unscrupulous individuals in the hierarchy of the institution, totally mindless about the need to make Ghana great and strong again, are putting spokes in the wheel of our fortune.

Just like the ancestors of old who connived with slavers against their very own, kidnapping unsuspecting brothers and sisters from the hinterland to satisfy the foreign human traders, these people, from stories that abound, are suspected of collusion with the highest bidder against the owners of the land.

I wish to state that Ghanaians are sovereign in their land, and have the first right to live over all others. Recently, a Korean man, aggravated by the presence of a petty trader in the vicinity of his workplace at Osu went on a rampage to destroy the goods of the “GHANAIAN”, lawfully permitted to pitch along the periphery of the Korean’s store outside the demarcation line. The Ghanaian reported the case to the Osu Police Station. And a case of travesty ensued!

As usual, as if it were a huge case to crack, an important investigation was opened into the matter. Apparently, the Korean was advised to place a counter report to avoid being reeled in. In light of the allegations against Mr Korea, he entered as a suspect and excited as a vanquisher. What happened? It was said that the commander was an acquaintance of the Korean man, so what took place within the confines of the crime office that the former ordered the Ghanaian petty trader, openly, not to set up his table to transact business near the Korean man’s shop or risk confiscation and arrest? While the commander might have gone for lunch with the narcissist Korean to indulge in a buffet that cost some GHs150, the poor Ghanaian trader remains hungry because he has been denied his daily bread. Is this yet another instance of lawful injustice unleashed against a brother?

So the Korean takes thousands of dollars for a salary in Ghana, yet the striving Ghanaian is not allowed to make the 50 Cedis (+ or -) that might come from a laborious day of sales under the blazing sun. When the Korean can afford Golden Tulip and other five star meals by virtue of the high wage that he earns, the Ghanaian can hardly afford the “yokogari” (which is much healthier, anyway) for a meager 5 cedi, yet the police folks at Osu deem it fit to antagonise the Ghanaian in order to befriend the Korean.

Mr IGP’s good works are much laudable, but they can never be complete if such instances of neo-slavery, police injustice, and other acts of cruelty continue against poor citizens trying to survive on their own land. Maybe, it is time to tighten the noose around the necks of nation wreckers, some of whom wear the honourable uniform he adorns, too.

I want to tell the Osu Police Crime commander that the Ghanaian trader will return to do brisk business at the spot where his goods were ransacked by the Korean friend of his. The Ghanaian will be allowed to work on his land in whatever lawful manner he wishes. Let this be a warning to all those who wish to stall the progress of this nation that their evil plans will never prevail over the sanity of our government’s resolve to bring prosperity to Ghanaians first before anybody else. The livelihood of Ghanaians is paramount, and so is their future.

It is no longer about any political party. It is not about NDC, NPP, CPP, NDP, or others. When it comes to the Ghanaian, nothing else matters, but solidarity and justice. Mr Osu Crime Commander, are you awake?

GOD bless our homeland Ghana and make our Nation Great and Strong…AGAIN!