Flush out these crooks
After almost five months of hibernation, the Trends column is finally back, after surviving a comatose. During this period of inaction, a lot of issues kept popping up one after the other.
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Most of the issues centred around politics, the ailing economy, international conventions and agreements (ex-Gitmo detainees), religious issues as well as the numerous social problems that have reared their ugly head.
All the topical issues that fell under the various classifications were important and therefore attracted an overwhelming national discourse. Even though some of the issues are still relevant in our governance and politicking, I hope to also make my views on some of these issues known in subsequent write-ups.
At the moment, one issue that continues to upset and bother me most is the seeming breakdown of the national moral fibre where the basic moral principles and Christian teachings which were very instrumental in the upbringing and socialisation of children in the years gone by.
Previously, certain practices and activities by some individuals, especially their intercourse with jujumen and money doublers, were done privately and in secret. Hardly did the culprit discuss his dealings with these men with occultic powers with another person, not even his wife and children.
It is, therefore, disturbing that things are being done differently in the full glare of the general public while society, known to frown on these kinds of vices, looks on unconcerned as Ghanaians are bombarded left and right on national television, radio, social media platforms.
Apart from these platforms, these medicine men – jujumen, occultists, money doublers, money-conscious pastors and other ritualists – openly exhibit their spiritual powers and accomplishments on posters circulated in public places bragging of their exploits.
When one takes a stroll along some of the major streets in the capital city one will surely see notices on walls, electric poles and other structures inviting interested persons to come for ‘sika duro’ (blood money), money doubling, enlargement of manhood etc, etc.
Additionally, any avid listener or television viewer who tunes in to television stations especially the digital ones is greeted with bragging medicine men and women boasting of their spiritual prowess and luring prospective customers to come for assistance or solutions to their problems.
It beats me that all these things are going on in this noble country of ours and they remain unchecked by the authorities who have the responsibility to uphold the moral tenets that this country was founded on.
Sadly, the huge number of gullible and financially hard-pressed citizens of this country have fallen for them and continue to troop to their shrines, homes, temples and other places to engage in such wealth-seeking ventures.
I have watched in bewilderment the processes and actions these bragging spiritualists and medicine-men engage in and I think by their behaviour they are just corrupting the youth and the impoverished.
The trade or business enterprise these men and women engage in is bizarre and very distasteful, and has to be discouraged without delay.
I am not against legislation that would restrain any Ghanaian citizen from holding on to certain beliefs, be they mundane or what, but I sincerely think that the generality of such beliefs must be in tune with our national aspiration which promotes high morality in society as well as stimulates national cohesion.
This issue must be tackled by urging media owners to discontinue providing airtime to these people; I hear they pay so much and on most occasions donate all the money they conjure to the staff of the host TV stations.
That explains the motivation that they receive from these media outlets to spew out venom that seeks to corrupt the young population of our dear country.
I am, by this article, calling on the Inspector General of Police, the National Media Commission, the Ghana Independent Broadcasters Association to, as a matter of urgency, initiate actions to flush out these charlatans from our sight (media).
All the young men and women who patronise their services must know and appreciate the fact that hard work pays and so they must aspire to work harder instead of the get-rich-quick attitude.