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The Impact Crew: Sakawa Boys Akye Control

Feature Article The Impact Crew:  Sakawa Boys Akye Control
FEB 15, 2017 LISTEN

When today’s seems just like yesterday and the world has become more global than before, a new era where something called internet pave its way into diaspora and the work of the postman was no longer recognized. When one good thing is invented another is improved and as one thinks of how to make the world a better place another worsen its existence. The modern day man is so dependent on the internet for survival; research works, online library, work from home, online office only to mention a few.

There is no doubt that the use of the internet has come to be of enormous significance to man in this 21st century, its on the other breath unfortunate when it is used for illegal means, in this regards it turns to be a necessary evil. The big question that bothers my mind is that, why are people interested in these unaccepted practices? Again, why is it that it’s mostly common in the African continent and in some part of North America? And lastly why is it that those who suffers its consequences are usually men in Europe and Australia?

No one should be soo quick to make judgments and label those who engage in these activities as been with low moral standards, greedy, uncultured and looters. This practice has been in the system for quite a while now but its tendency increases as men and women from all ages engages in the practice. This act has been almost impossible to deal with because of the state of the economy, moral standards, level of internet security only to mention a few. Countries on the surface of the African continent which engages in these illegal activities were in time past countries like Nigeria which was the first country to engage in such practice, I quiet remember that we refer to these our Nigerian brothers who engages in these activities as ‛419’. Over the years internet fraud or scam has increasingly metamorphosed into a profitable venture as it has receive a great number and as it has popularly gained its name ‛Sakawa’ in Ghana. To be victorious in the exploited business, one needs not to merely employ his or her wit, persuasion, intelligence and techniques which are the normal characteristics of internet fraud or scam but to some extent employ what we locally call ‛juju’. This has a spiritual significance.

Without fear or favour I can say that, contemporary, the practice of internet fraud or scamming is almost in every country on the surface of the African continent. Please bear in mind that I am not in support of this inhumane practice. The fact is that, unemployment continuous to be a greater challenge to these developing countries who engages in these activities. The youth after completing secondary or tertiary cycle institutions will come and meet high level of unemployment leaving them with no option than to engage in this inhumane activity. Those who also tend to work really hard in the scorching sun from dawn till dawn will still wallow in untold poverty. Its only time that can define this better as to whether it’s a bad practice or otherwise.

To deal with this issue, it needs a holistic approach as it takes it form as been a psychological challenge and to some extends moral challenge. Government security agencies across the length and breadth of the country also needs to take a bold step in combating this practice as it tends to give a bad image about the moral standards of the country. Many of those who engages in these activities finds no wrong in doing so and to others it is only the means of survival; to them it is an occupation and as far as it fetches them money as unemployment is on the rise. The culprits who suffer the consequences of these activities are usually y grown ups that have retired from the working population and does nothing but thinks of dating young girls on the internet. They need to advice themselves. The governments in Europe over the years in response to this activities and the numerous reports have instituted checks to monitor the amount and reasons for sending money outside the country more importantly when the money is been send to Africa.

Akwasi Brobbey
(Senior writer and editor at TIC)
[email protected]
0548412192/0266175686

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