We Must Unite To Defeat The Hardened Criminals Who Want To Hold Mother Ghana To Ransom

It is vital that members of our nation's political class do not turn the issue of the spike in violent crime - such as armed robbery - into political football. This is no time for divisive comments and grandstanding to score political points. Haaba.

What is needed now, is for Parliament to pass tough new laws - passed under a certificate of urgency - that will make armed robbery a crime punishable by a mandatory sentence of life imprisonment with hard labour, without the possibility of parole. Ever.

It is also critical that the law courts deal swiftly with all cases of armed robbery, to reassure the nation that wherever such crimes occur, in the fullness of time, victims of armed robbers will always get justice, whenever they are terrorised by such callous criminals. We must never forget that armed robbery is an act of terrorism. Nothing more nothing less.

Above all, the time has now come for Ghana to add a fourth armed service to the current three services that make up the Ghana Armed Forces. It must have at least 50,000 men and women in its ranks and ought to be modeled on Italy's fourth armed service, the Carabiniere.

Its main operational task should be to deal with all internal security matters - including planning anti-terrorism countermeasures and leading countrywide operations in the fight against global terrrorism - in our country, to ensure public safety at all material times.

Finally, if we are to defeat the criminal syndicates responsible for the organised crime fueling the current spate of armed robberies across the nation, then, as a people, we must be vigilant and observant at all material times - and volunteer information to the law enforcement agencies whenever necessary. We must unite to defeat the hardened criminals who want to hold Mother Ghana to ransom.