Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo
In Ghana, it seems
politicians are above the law. While, of course, that is technically not the
case, it is a fact that law enforcement agents are apprehensive of arresting
politicians when they have to. This is a serious blemish we must tackle as a
nation.
It is even more serious
when suspects are opposition elements because cops fear being labelled
sympathizers of one party or the other. Cops should not be swayed by such
tongue wagging provided they are being professional about their duties.
It has been many weeks
now since the police invited National Democratic Congress (NDC) National
Chairman Ofosu-Ampofo to assist them in an investigation bordering on national
security.
His party lawyers and
elders told him not to honour the invitation. We were amazed that it was an
otherwise respectable gentleman, Alhaji Mahama Iddrisu, who read the speech
which sought to provoke the Police.
We were surprised that
the face of the elderly man was used to represent the opposition party’s
defiance and rudeness towards the laws of the country. We were saddened and
still are that the elderly man would allow himself to be used to trample upon
the laws of the land in such a manner. The speech was certainly prepared for
him to read. But couldn’t he demur and insist on rewording it; he could even
encourage Ofosu-Ampofo to see the CID Chief. That is one of the characteristics of elderly
persons unless we are being told that in the NDC this does not hold.
We are not enthusiastic
about the delay on the part of the Police in compelling the said party National
Chairman to appear at the CID headquarters.
We shudder to think
that a bad precedence has been set by the action of the NDC. In future, it
presupposes that political parties can refuse to honour police invitations, the
implications of this being the erosion of the authority of the law enforcement
agency in the country.
The leadership of the
NDC must be patting each other on the back for getting away with their
insulting behaviour to the police and the Ghanaian nation. After all, former
President John Mahama boasted about the NDC being far ahead of the NPP when it
comes to lawlessness.
A country’s advancement
is measured through a number of factors. One of them is the level of the rule
of law and how this is protected by existing institutions. When those employed
to enforce the laws of a country are unable to ignore the nonsense spewed by
politicians and therefore carry out their mandate when the security of the
state is threatened then something is wrong.
Those who harbour
dangerous plots against the country must be adjudicated and dealt with when
found culpable.
We are by this
commentary demanding that the Police enforce the law to the letter no matter
whose ox is gored. The law should be protective of all irrespective of party
affiliations or ethnic background. This is what stands a primitive society from
a civilized one.
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