Cashier Undisciplined Soldiers Now!

We appear to be losing count of unruly soldiers pouncing on cops. And to think that the inappropriate conduct is meted out to the cops while they are in the line of duty makes it even more worrying. The trend is a mark of creeping indiscipline within the colours, a reality perhaps yet to be appreciated by the military high command.

If these misfits in the military are not fished out and cashiered, they would compromise discipline in the Ghana Armed Forces. Should the trend not be halted and young soldiers think erroneously that they can always get away with acts of indiscipline, there would come a day when their likes would go to town and assault civilians with impunity. After all those before them who beat up police officers were spared the rod.

It is very serious when soldiers can drive to town without pass for illegal operations. If those soldiers are not already in the guardroom and being prepared for orders, then something untoward is happening which must be addressed now to obviate a future mutiny.

The trend has already caught the attention of the international community and this can reduce our standing in the comity of the civilized.

It is heartbreaking that after the many accolades showered on Ghanaian troops during peacekeeping operations from Kasavubu in the Congo in 1960 to Southern Sudan, today some other ranks can compromise the hard-earned good name of the Ghana Armed Forces. We would say it again: soldiers are under two sets of laws, the civilian and the military; the latter subservient to the former.

A few days ago, a senior NCO, described as a land guard, slapped an Inspector of Police and now this Tamale crude show of force. The essential factor-discipline- is slipping away and very fast.

Members of the public are becoming incensed about the trend – a situation which is coming at a cost to the image of the Ghana Armed Forces.

In one of our commentaries, we demanded that the military high command institute an enquiry into an earlier similar incident in Tamale but it would appear that little or nothing was done in that direction. Keeping men of the kind who attacked police officers in Tamale will not inure to the interest of national security hence our insistence that they be cashiered after due process. Those who must face the civilian court must be released after investigation. This nonsense must cease forthwith.

We know that it is not for us to tell the military high command what to do under the circumstances, but as citizens, we can counsel our Armed Forces when discipline is threatened within the ranks of our defence machinery. Ghanaians are not impressed at all about the blossoming indiscipline.

The national security of this country should not be compromised by those who are paid to ensure its survivability.

The Garrison Commander and the various commanders, 6BN and Airborne Force, fine gentlemen, must sit up lest they lose control of their men.

Indeed an Armed Forces bereft of discipline ceases to be one and can only be likened to a band of armed crooks which ours is not.

Whatever action is taken must be publicized otherwise the impunity would continue.