Go And Sin No More

Do you remember those days when you get flogged either on your butts or in your palms either by mum or dad and after, you are cautioned to go and repeat it no more? Lol, I cannot forget mine because it was something that usually happened to me.I guess you are not thinking I was stubborn by then.

There were many times you would be flogged and asked to go do it no more but you find yourself either committing the same crime or this time around even a worse one.This is a very common thing about kids and it makes the childhood stage of life the most memorable part of one's life.

But i have been wondering,do you know those crimes we used to commit those days were not actually big offences though? They were just mere offences daddy and mummy could have pardoned us .But hey,not in a Ghanaian home! You dare do any of these; fail to do your homework,eat from a friend's home,fail to do house chores,use mummy's balance in school,pick pocket mum or dad,roam about in the hood all in the name of hanging out with friends,and among others.

Anyway,those punishments helped us so far as the saying goes ,"spare the rod,spoil the child".We now fit into the society.But my query is why is crime on its peak in today in the country among the youth and others? It makes me wonder if indeed the childhood floggings were necessary!I sometimes begin to think otherwise that they made no good impact in our lives so far as there is on the rise, criminal cases such as;armed robbery,rape,murder,human trafficking and the rest.Due to this,many are convicted and sentenced to some number of years imprisonment.In mathematics,one could say the level of increase in crime in this country is directly proportional to the congestion in our prisons making life there uncomfortable and humanly unfriendly.

From the little i have read and heard,prisons ought to be conducive enough for inmates regardless of the fact that they are criminals.It should have the capacity and resources to transform the inmates for the better.So i ask my self,when would we see this in Ghana prisons?

No wonder Great men like Rev Steve Wengam is always fighting for the betterment of our prison services.On the contrary,as we fight for the betterment of our prison services,it is no denying fact that most of the inmates in the prisons today honestly deserve to be there.Pardon me to say that,some even deserve harsher conditions to teach them good lessons.

But i hope you would agree with me that back in our homes,punishment wasn't always the norm when we broke any of the rules.On certain occasions,we were pardoned and spared from receiving our duely deserved punishments.Nevertheless,we were advised to go and sin no more!Considering Ghana as one big home,the President,the father of the house can also pardon some law breakers who have been imprisoned.This power of the President is based on his prerogative of mercy under Article 72 of the 1992 constitution.With that,he acts upon the advice of the Council of State and the recommendation of the Ghana Prison Service.

It was no surprise at all that as part of the July 1 Republic Day celebrations in Ghana, President John Dramani Mahama granted amnesty to some 900 prisoners across the country.The presidential pardon was granted based on ill health, advanced age and satisfactory behaviour of inmates. So this means, about 900 prisoners who have not finished serving their sentences are now free men and women.

Let me hasten to say that Amnesty is a democratic principle,frequently used all around the world—but trust Ghanaians to be skeptical about the President’s move.

I couldn't believe it when i read a comment on Facebook in relation to this issue, saying. “Chaiii… He Just Won 900 votes… … Or Ex Convicts Can’t Vote??? Meaning the Amnesty granted is because of political interests.Let us wake up Ghana!This is not time to tag every move as politically motivated.

I believe as a nation,this move by the president will go a long way to help reduce the congestion in some of the prisons across the country.

It would also help bring a positive change in behaviour in some of prisoners who are still serving their term of imprisonment.Afterall it is a change we expect from them but not being hardened by the prison conditions.

Let us not forget us the general public and families of these beneficiaries, to receive these 900 in a manner characterized by an absence of antagonism and hatred in order to help integrate them into society.We have a role to play and i think it is not stigmatizing them.We must show them love and care the most.We should know that,to err is human and even the holy book of the christians says"there is none righteous".These pardoned prisoners should be assisted to live meaningful lives and contribute to society. In as much as the society is going to receive these convicts,it is also necessary that they (convicts) do not go back to their old ways of life.They should go and sin no more.I presume that was what the President advised them to do.

Obviously many of them may be unemployed and may find it very difficult to make a living.But i suggest they put to practise and beneficial use, the vocational and technical skills they acquired while they stayed in the prisons.If this is done,hardly will they find it very difficult to fend for themselves.It is said that,the devil finds work for the idle man and that is why they must see the need to make something meaningful out of their lives else they may end up in one activity or the other which may be a breach of the law.It is no surprising at all that some convicts return to the prisons for other crimes they commit when they are brought back home.

I believe these 900 will not be victims of the law again.

These 900 should count themselves very fortunate and blessed for this presidential pardon.It is indeed a turning point of their lives and they ought to take advantage of it.They should not be like the pig who goes back to dirty itself after giving it a good bath.

Youth of today should also learn from the stories of these 900 people and serve as a moral guide to us.We have to do all our best and stress out even the last fiber of our body just to abide and adhere to the laws else,we become victims and prisoners like these 900 were.

We may not be lucky to receive Amnesty from any President and we may not have the chance to start life all over again.we may not be pardoned and cautioned to go and sin no more.Unlucky us,we may have to suffer fully the punishment for going contrary to the law so let us shine our eyes,be responsible citizens and i believe our prisons will not be congested.

They refer to me as Boateng Boakye Evans.And i see a new You and I being pardoned for our crimes and we do not go and sin again.

BOATENG BOAKYE EVANS
PHARMD
KNUST