Political Vigilantism, Who Takes The Blame?

The security of every country is very paramount. It is of no surprise that developed countries do spend a lot of money on their security agencies. The likes of United States, United Kingdom, Russia, Germany and others pay particular attention to their security agencies. They put the necessary resources for their survival. Those countries who won the two world wars did so because of their vibrant and robust security system. Off late the issue of political vigilantism has been a matter of concern to many people. In this regard the question is being asked as who is to blame for these crises?

It is the motive of every political party to win election. They make sure their plans are well executed. It is very imperative that these political parties be given the maximum security that they need for peaceful campaigns.

The issue of political vigilantism seems to gain a lot of roots in Ghanaian politics. Various political parties resort to the services of these groups to run their day-to-day activities. They have these groups in all part of the country. It is the responsibility of these groups to ensure that activities of the parties run effectively and smoothly without any hullabaloo.

The two main political parties in this country (Ghana) that is: the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) all depend on these groups for security. It is not the intent of this article to attack people but to ask some questions that need pressing answers. Is the police to be blame for this mess? Or political parties should be blamed? Or is it that laws in this country are not working? Or our state institutions are not properly functioning?

I would want to talk about the Ghana Police Service and their level of professionalism. Many people have spoken against how the executive arm of government in the country have lots of power. These powers allow the president to do a lot of appointments, some of which is deemed as political interference in some state institutions. The constitution of Ghana allows the president in consultation with the Council of State to appoint the Inspector General of Police (IGP). This many have criticized that will put fear and panic in the hierarchy of the police service as they would want to dance to the tune of the incumbent party.

Prior to the 2016 general elections, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) had raised a lot of issues concerning the state security agency (Ghana Police service) accusing them as acting unprofessionally. They even went to the extent of importing emissaries from South Africa to come and train the body guards of the then candidate and his running mate ( Akufo Addo and Dr. Bawumia). This really sparked a lot of controversies in the country. Some people said the NPP was putting Ghana on a time bomb by importing emissaries into the country. Security experts were not pleased with the move. They (NPP) might have a point, because they never had any trust in the Ghana Police Service. They felt the security of their candidate and his running mate was very crucial. But the question is even if this assumption is true, if they won power whom were they going to work with?

After the NPP won the 2016 election, one cannot forget the havocs that these vigilante groups have brought. The likes of Invincible Force, Delta Force, Kandaha boys and the rest have brought pains, fear and panic to many people. Some of these groups can besiege the premises of a court and ransack the place and free some of their members. The surprising thing that still beats my imagination is that, the Attorney General said that they do not have enough evidence to prosecute them. This kind of barbaric act can only happen in a lawless state like Ghana. One cannot also forget the Kandaha boys in the Northern region. They had the impetus of sacking the CEO of the Tamale teaching hospital.

It will not be far fetched to blame the Ghana Police Service as not working professionally. The police lack the courage to punish any party member whose party is in power. In a country that a political party can attack the residence of an opposition leader and the police cannot even arrest one. They do not do so, because if they dare do so they will lose their job. Former local government minister, Alhaji Collins Dauda’s brother had the gut on radio to make noise that he kills human beings on daily basis. He went on to say that he has been in that business for about 20 years. The Ghana police service never called this gentleman for any investigation. Why? Because his elder brother was a minister and as such the state security agencies could not work. Will this happen in the United States or United Kingdom? Also not forgetting the haste manner in which the police service arrested ‘Appiah Stadium’ for making some derogatory comments against the president (He said the president smokes marijuana). In fact they acted to please the president. A matter that the president was not interested in.

About some few weeks ago, the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) held their regional delegate conference to elect their regional executives. One of the notable thing you could realize was the presence of heavy built men (macho men). They called themselves the Hawks. I had the opportunity to see some of them on the University of Ghana campus and I must admit that they were well built. Their role is to protect their members. One will ask, what is our state security institution doing? Is it that politicians do not trust our security institution? If so, then what is the fate of the ordinary citizen who has no money to hire the services of these macho men?

The irony of the situation is that if they are in power, they are the first people to come out and defend the police service, but when they get out of power they do not trust the very institution they had trusted earlier. As a young writer and a citizen of this noble country, I always weep at the detrimental way that these stomach-serving politicians are managing the country. I weep because I have no other country aside this beloved one.

It is about time that our state security agency (Ghana police service) stood up to the task. If we do not speak against this unlawful thing in the country, then our country will have no future. Can you envisage a situation where by vigilante groups clash with the Ghana Police Service? It will be deadly. Let’s call for the abolishment of all vigilante groups in the country. As consolidating as our democracy is, we need to run institutions that citizens can trust and have confidence in it.

What we need to do as a country is to resource the Ghana Police Service with the necessary equipment and logistics that will help them work effectively. Ghana is not ready to witness what happened in Nigeria. The Ghana Police Service should also man up as an institution so they regain the confidence of citizens. As patriotic citizens, we need to be bold in speaking against the ills in our country as in the case of political vigilantism.

I also suggest that the appointment of the Inspector General of Police(IGP) should be left to an independent body. They must also let them have security of office. If these measures are implemented, the police will work professionally. The issue of fear and panic will move away. The issue of “eye service" will not exist. No one will work to please their pay masters. They will work in the interest of the country. Long live Ghana. Long live the Ghana Police Service to show their professional conduct. Ghana must work again. Ghana will work again. YOUNG POSITIVIST, a concerned citizen of Ghana.

Writer: Boamah Sampson ( [email protected] /+233 548690091)