Honest vs criminal Ghanaians: What is the difference?

No society since Adam and Eve has seen only honest citizens. While most citizens see criminal activity as one big mistake, others see it as a living style (Gang criminality, etc.). Besides rehabilitation efforts to bring an end to individual wrong behaviours and a lack of preventive measures such as early childhood education to know right from wrong and shock therapies where and when appropriate, every society is stuck with the payment for criminals compared to honest citizens.

In Germany, unemployed citizens get, on average, as singles, monthly € 1.053 (Couples € 1.361) of Bürgergeld (Social Benefit). Each prisoner costs the German states between € 3.300 and € 5.200, depending on the state and prison capacity. While Ghana pays Ghc 5,00 for three meals each day for every prisoner (overall prison costs in Ghana are not publicly available). LEAP program does not cover social benefits for ALL honest Ghanaians out of work. The elderly over 65 years get minimum support from LEAP. Traditional unemployment benefits in Ghana do not exist.

Ghana has decided to scrap the death penalty, unlike China, where it is still handed down to offenders and, in special cases, executed. China knows capital punishment never stops anyone from murdering others, getting involved in corruption or drug smuggling or bringing back dead bodies and stolen money or lives lost through illegal drug use. It is a sign that citizens should be law-abiding and do what is right for society and themselves or face the consequences; the choice is theirs.

In Ghana, serious crimes are often linked to party politics. Airbus and bus branding scandal, Adeiso Jute and Komenda sugar factory, National Cathedral hole, AKSA files, Chairman Wontumi's case, galamsey menace, Saglemi housing estate and many more are party politics-driven Made in Ghana problems. Political Parties not the citizens of Ghana, decide on issues like capital punishment, cost and length of imprisonment and who really needs to serve behind bars. This complex is very costly. Ghana, well-managed, is far richer than Germany, which has no minerals and no special crops like cocoa and coffee.

In the end, the honest Ghanaian citizen pays for the criminality in the country while sleeping hungry at night.