Hawa Koomson's shooting: When emotions drown rationale

There we go again!! As usual here in Ghana when an incident happens we allow our emotions to drown rationale and thereby neglect to ask the key questions which will underpin a non-occurance of such episodes in the future.

Over the past week, Hawa Koomson's (MP) has headlined the news for her admission to giving a warning-shot at a registration centre having feard an attack on her life. Indeed, she has been roundly condemned by the clergy, politicians (with some holding a whole press conference on it as though they had nothing besides) , CSO's etc.

This short piece wants to centre the whole discussion on rationale by drawing our attention to the following questions:

1. Is Ms Koomson allowed to carry a gun? That is, is her gun registered and known by the appropriate authority?

2. Was there indeed an attack on her life warranting a warning shot at such a location?

3. Did she have a prior knowledge of this attack if there was one and did she inform the police? Why not, if not?

4. Did she inform the police after the whole episode? Why not, if not?

5. Is it wrong to give a gun shot to ward off a perceived attack on one's life, irrespective of the environment or the personality?

Fellow Ghanaians (Greetings Mr. President), let us not be driven by emotions and thereby fail to ask the questions which will proffer solutions. We only guarantee the re-occurance of such situations as the needed solutions were not sought owing to emotionally- driven discussions and condemnation.

Kwaheri!