We are worried, Mr President
It amazes the Daily Graphic that while there were few instances of violence recorded at polling stations during last Saturday’s polls, the spate of destruction at collation centres and looting across the country since the results were declared are mindboggling.
What has become even more worrisome to the larger section of the Ghanaian electorate or population is the fact that the break-ins, attacks and vandalisation of state installations and looting of warehouses and shops have continued unabated till today.
Apart from this trend threatening to erode and make nonsense of all the accolades we have received from the international community for once again holding free, fair and peaceful elections, it is suggesting that we are a lawless people.
Even more critical because of the brazen nature of the attacks and the seeming inability of the state to quell the disturbances is the picture being painted that the state security agencies are powerless to deal with the disturbances, although over 100 suspects have been arrested.
The Daily Graphic, however, is of the view that if we continue to allow these attacks to go on we may be in for a rude shock, as we know there are destabilisers on the prowl looking for the slightest opportunity to cause mayhem in the country.
We should not think that once we have finished the polls we are out of the woods. No! Not yet! We have been trumpeting peace before, during and after the elections and now that we are done and the winner has been declared, we do not have to lower our guard for insurgents in the sub-region to capitalise on the confusion to put all of us in danger.
The situation has created the impression that there is presently no government in place to take charge of the situation.
We do still have the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government in place. Although we have elected a new government, the term of the current administration only ends on January 7, 2025, after a handover.
The security agencies may be doing their bit to contain the situation, but what is happening must not be taken lightly, as nation wreckers may take advantage of the situation.
We commend the National Democratic Congress (NDC) leadership for calling their members to order as evidence shows people clad in party attire have engaged in the attacks and looting.
We also believe that the President-elect, John Dramani Mahama, has shown leadership by addressing the nation on his concern about the post-election happenings and calling on all to refrain from destroying state property, attacking and ransacking shops.
In fact, if state installations are destroyed in people’s frenzy, his government will be saddled with fixing all that have been destroyed with taxpayers’ money when he assumes power, instead of putting in place remedies to heal our ailing economy. That would take us back instead of forward in our development.
The ultimate responsibility of maintaining law and order in the country, however, lies with the current President and we urge Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to take the bull by the horns as the Commander in Chief of the Ghana Armed Forces to bring sanity to our streets. It may even be in order if he addressed the nation on the disturbances and served a warning to the perpetrators.
If need be, in consultation with security chiefs, we must raise the security level in the country. If anyone is caught destroying state or private property and causing fear and panic among the populace, he or she must be given stiff punishment.
Ghanaians are generally known to be law-abiding and we must not allow a few selfish and greedy ones with their own agenda, under the guise of celebrating a win by their party, to go on a destruction and looting spree and by so doing put everyone else in danger.
We are worried that if the current leadership does not stamp its authority on the appalling incidents happening countrywide, it will lead to chaos and destroy all the peace and tranquillity we have enjoyed as a nation in a troubled sub-region.
The security agencies must effectively and seamlessly liaise with the judiciary to bring all the perpetrators to book and make this known to the media, which will serve as a deterrent to all other adventure seekers.
Social media is rife with videos of the looters, and we believe these would help the security agencies apprehend all culprits without fear or favour.
God bless our homeland Ghana and make her great and strong.