The future of Ghana is scary

As I write this piece my heart trembles for the future of this great country. Recent happenings in this country put every right-thinking Ghanaian in a state of perpetual fear. Politics, as I understand, is an arena in which different ideas as to how a society should be governed are entertained. It appears that is not the case in Ghana and most African countries. It has become an avenue for violence amongst ordinary people and the elite.

The emergence of political vigilante groups has become a headache for the security apparatus in Ghana and the general public. How do we ensure that this security threat, in the long run, does not destroy the relative peace we enjoy now as Ghanaians? Most people pretend as though nothing untoward is happening in this country and I believe a day will come when we wish we had prevented this thuggery in its budding state.

In the last couple of years, politically affiliated vigilante groups like the Azorka boys, invincible forces, delta forces, and recently the Hawks have become household names noted for their violent activities. Their actions have caused if not the death of innocent citizens but injuries which of course have left permanent deformities on some people. There shall come a time in this country when this so-called internal security arrangement of political parties will grow into formidable terrorist organisations. May we only see those moments in our dreams. For now, it seems these thugs are engaged in only political related activities, thus serving as internal party security.

Security analysts have warned severally that these vigilante groups pose serious threats to the future of this republic. They have not only cautioned against the formation of vigilante groups but insisted that groups that already exist should be disbanded. A high ranking official in the Ghana Police Service recently admonished or warned that if something is not done about political vigilantism, there will be an explosion in 2020 (when the country goes to the polls). We do not need God to send another prophet to confirm what he said. Current happenings in the country indicate that we are heading towards doom as a country. That is why the future of Ghana is scary. I cannot imagine a Ghana with political unrest and deadly killings of innocent people by political party fanatics.

The political parties are reluctant in disbanding vigilante groups that have pledged loyalty to them because they are doing their bidding. They blame one another each day and night. When one looks at the history of some terrorist groups that have gained notoriety in this world, it is appropriate to state that they began with missions to help political parties or their ethnic groups. A very clear case is that of Boko Haram in Nigeria. This deadly terrorist group for the past decade has killed thousands of innocent people both Nigerians and other nationals. It is equally important that we recognise the fact that these terrorists do not discriminate in their killings. When the hawks, invincible forces and the delta forces graduate to the next level, their thuggery will affect us all.

Let me conclude by quoting James Allen as he writes in his book “As a man thinketh” that “A man does not come to the almshouse or the jail by the tyranny of fate or circumstance but by the pathway of grovelling thoughts and base desires. Nor does a pure-minded man falls suddenly into crime by stress of any mere external force; the criminal thought has had long been secretly fostered in the heart, and the hour of opportunity revealed its gathered power”. All those who matter in the security of the state must sit up. The talking is too much. We must walk the talk immediately. Thank you.

Abdul-Kadir Ibrahim

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