Ghana is living in dangerous times as far as security is concerned.
What we currently have in this country is a reactive security strategy and not a proactive one that should make Ghanaians sleep and snore. The Criminals have proved to us that they are always a step ahead of our security set-up. Something definitely is wrong with us and we must connect the dots faster than we are doing currently.
A husband and a mother of a three-month-old baby dying whiles making a living represents one of the worst news to have hit a family. Sad, bizarre, mind-boggling and a painful tragedy cannot sum up the situation.
It reminds me of the story of some crabs in Cape Coast. There was this specific crab that lived at Anaafo (People that have lived in Cape Coast know this place very well). The beautiful ‘fante crab always praised itself that her kind tasted better in palm nut soup than in light soups and any other dish. One day, the crabs went for a meeting of crabs at London Bridge in Cape Coast and were served with a special recipe of stew with ‘etsew’ to match. After the dish, the Anaafo crab, remarked, ‘this dish is the best dish I have ever taken in my entire life.’ She was served the same dish in subsequent meetings and she never refused to give the dish some ‘accolades’.
The conference of crabs continued to serve the Anaafo crab a delicacy made of its kind until it realized that all her kith and kin were all getting missing.
This remains the stark reality of the security situation the country finds itself. We boast of our security strength but do not know that what we boast of are really nothing before the criminals.
Security meetings upon security meetings are organized but we fail to see that our security lapses in the country lead to the killing and maiming of innocent people. We think our system is the best but we are always beaten by the criminals. If care is not taken, more precious lives would be snuffed out without the security having an antidote to the situation.
The increasing number of armed robbery attacks on mobile money merchants is becoming scarier by the minute. The alarming rate calls for new security measures to curb the canker.
Many of these attacks have happened across the country sparking security concerns by mobile money merchants.
This incessant attacks on mobile money operators shouldn't be left in the talk shop as usual. It reveals a certain weakness we have as a country. In this country, we barely finish anything we start. Everyone is an expert and the morning shows in this country attest to this 'fact'.
We talk about everything and abandon such beautiful thoughts in the next minute.
We were in this country when we budgeted and used huge resources for the National Identification cards in 2008. In fact, it started from the Central region. I just saw my receipt. That exercise escaped with the wind. Those who planned through to the failed execution of this exercise are all walking free. Our money gone down the drain. Now we have started another one. God knows whether we will be able to finish this new one that has started.
Sim-card registration exercises started in a haste in this country. The idea was to get every Sim card registered so people wouldn't be able to perpetrate crimes with the sim cards. Now one can buy a sim card fully registered by the vendors. These cards that are purchased are now used to dupe the unsuspecting public. No action is being taken on this!
In Ghana, we have made up our minds that forensic science is no business of ours. We are still stuck to the physical and aggressive policing that used to be practised in the days of old. We only look at the physicals of people before they are employed in the Ghana Police service.
A common centralised data system that will help us fight some of these crimes have eluded us. Why won't people commit crimes leaving huge things of evidential value at the crime scenes but because of our poor systems, such criminals still 'attend church' with us?
Like the Anaafo crab, let’s keep boasting that we are the best and allow our ilk to die needlessly.
The earlier we focused on getting our data system in place, the better we can make an arrest and even without the suspects' cooperation, pin them down with evidence. Is our country prepared to invest in our security or our Parliamentarians are only interested in demanding security for themselves when one of their own is affected?
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The writer, Richard Kwadwo Nyarko, works with Joynews. His email: [email protected] . Facebook: Richard Kwadwo Nyarko. Twitter: @quajo2009
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