Not too long ago, Ghanaians woke up again, to a disturbing story of a gruesome murder of another young soldier, this time it was in Ashaiman. The first time civilians had killed a military personnel after the 2017 killing of Major Mahama by inhabitants of Denkyira Obuasi.
To recall the 2017 incident would be tampering with evidence in court, but as in the case of Major Mahama, Trooper Sherrif Imoro, did not fight back his attackers. Trained to defend Ghanaians even to the peril of their lives these fine gentlemen died without throwing a punch.
The consequence of attacking military personnel is well known to all Ghanaians. Our military live under the Abantu Convention, Touch-One-Touch-All. So, when Major Mahama was killed in cool blood, as if he was some wild animal and videoed, many were Ghanaians who thought the whole of Denkyira Obuasi was going to be carpet bombed and leveled to the ground.
Fortunately, the military spared us their natural way of resolving such problematic situations. But that did not show on the faces of the officers and other ranks of the Ghana Armed Forces during the burial service of Major Mahama at the forecourt of the State House. Many thought that members of our military had seen the light and have become born-again.
Nonetheless, the killing of Trooper Imoru, might have resurrected their Abantu Spirit and even though they did not strike immediately, the military did not disappoint this time. The invasion was like a scene in a war movie.
Suddenly Ghanaians are up in arms and verbally assaulting the Ghana Armed Forces for invading the privacy of innocent Ghanaians and beating up any living being in sight, that walked on two legs.
Suddenly, Parliament of Ghana had grown teeth and voice to come out to condemn the military. I hear the MP of Ashiaman has indicated that he was going to sue the Military Command over the invasion.
Even as I would not support this kind of retaliation, I think our political office holders, especially the MPs, MMDCEs, Assemblypersons and Unit Community members, and going on to include the traditional leaders, opinion leaders and other leadership in society seem to be blind to the upsurge of anarchy and disrespect for rights of others among the youth.
The carnage that is on the way coming, may demand the military overthrowing the Constitution and brutally disciplining people they way they know how. These are things our leadership especially the House of Parliament must start discussing and suggesting ways of putting people especially the youth on the right path.
For whatever reason, why should one decide to steal someone’s property and worse of all, why should someone decide that another person must die?
Unavailability of jobs, harsh living conditions and other issues have thrown away any hope of descent living especially among the youth. The dream to have some property by any means possible, has made some youth decide on evil and wrong.
Now instead of the honorable Members of Parliament putting their heads together to support governments in implementing good policies to benefit all, the Opposition will make sure the ruling government is not able to achieve its goals, just to make it lose the next General Elections.
This is a great shame and they must realize the harm it is creating for Ghana. In some countries, MPs are never partisan but rather nationalistic in their ways.
We have a disciplined military here, who have been trained to protect the lives of Ghanaians and we have Ghanaians who have decided to attack and kill the military personnel who are to protect them.
First, Ghanaian civilians killed one and the military overlooked this, then they decided to test the waters and went to kill another. But here the military felt that just as little drops of water can create an ocean, sooner or later, Ghanaian civilians will annihilate the total military force.
So, this time, they struck hard and Ghanaians woke up to criticize them for adding innocent civilians to their lists. Well, that is the order of nature. When some irresponsible members of society decide to commit acts against nature and nature decides to strike back, the innocent will also suffer. Mosquitoes do not only go after those who created their breeding grounds, they attack all humans.
This is how the law of nature operates. It is for the disciplined innocent ones who must start correcting the wayward ones in society before they bring problems and shame upon all of them.
However in the society we live in, when one decides to correct people, he or she might face dangers of reprisals or be stigmatized in society and completely isolated.
Soon after the military invasion of Ashiaman, the Ghana Police Service got hold of suspects, directly linked to the murder of Trooper Imoru. That is good work.
But, in my opinion, Ghanaians must start attacking the actions and find ways of making sure that such things never happen again, instead of attacking the reactions to these conducts that could soon set this country into conflicts.
In all this, I must say I am very much disappointed in Col Festus Aboagye (Rtd)’s analysis of the Ashaiman Invasion. He sounded very partisan and came out with no solution. Stay tune for my feature article on that.
Hon Daniel Dugan
The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect The Chronicle’s stance.
