Stop BNI’s lawlessness - OccupyGhana to Mahama

Unless President John Mahama “arrests the growing lawlessness of the security agencies and forces a U-turn of the totally anti-democratic abuse of authority, this country will lose its lead as a foremost democracy in Sub-Sahara Africa,” pressure group OccupyGhana has warned.

The group said in a statement issued Tuesday April 12 that Ghana also risks losing its status as “a guiding star to other countries in the Region to follow our example, hard won from years of common sense strategies to keep us ahead of the motley pack we call developing countries”, if Mr Mahama fails to change direction.

The statement titled: ‘President Mahama Must Make A “U” Turn To Save Our Democracy’ said: “OccupyGhana® has observed with grave concern developments within our national security set up that bode ill will for all of us if they go unchecked.”

“First was the high handedness with which the matter of the SA3 was dealt with. What should have ordinarily been treated with diplomatic finesse ended up with more tensed moments fuelled by sabre rattling security bureaucrats utterly clueless about the basic norms of the law.

“Next was the arrest and detention of innocent citizens of this country followed by a badly botched statement from the Interior Ministry, which was eventually found “goofy” by a leading member of the ruling NDC government, indication of a directionless attempt to intimidate not only political opponents, but the people of this country, who are now becoming increasingly worried about whether we have our governance heading in the right direction.

“Following that, the arrest of an ordinary law-abiding Ghanaian by BNI operatives for allegedly taking photos of a range of cars apparently belonging to the ruling NDC government. Public howling against this crude modus operand eventually led to the gentleman being released on bail. That the BNI should press charges itself is mind-boggling. Perhaps the BNI operates with its own rulebook, but the incidents are symptomatic of a rudderless nation and a total disgrace to apostles of good governance and democracy that have always singled out Ghana as a model worth emulating,” it said.

The group continued: “Ours is an election year with great trepidation and with great controversy in the delinquent and funny jokes political actors will offer as choices to earn the public vote. And that is enough comedy for us. Were we to procure the services of national security for just about anything national security, we may as well be minded that it now serves comedy. A comedy of errors.”

“But there is a common strand in all these behaviours of the BNI - It is the over bearing executive presidency we have created for ourselves with its allied agencies of the state that commit blunders with careless abandon. We must aim to reduce security interference in our lives completely and manage public outcry, as done in other developed countries, as one sure way to keep the reform agenda intact.

“Ghana can’t afford to track this path of political waywardness. We must obey rules and the laws that ensure that every citizen of Ghana feels safe to walk the streets and pavements, without turning at the blast of every siren.

“Ghanaians must close their minds at night feeling secure in the Government and not be concerned that there is a lurking internal danger on their doorstep. We must be made sedate because our security forces are looking after our safety rather than running interference in our everyday life.

“The responsibility for our safety and security lies ultimately with the Commander in Chief, our President. We elected him to safeguard our lives and ensure that he invests our confidence in him to make a more congenial and fun-loving country of which we can all be proud”.