The aftermath of the Kenyan Westgate Shopping Mall lethal invasion by the Islamic al-shabaab fanatics that saw an acclaimed Ghanaian poet, writer and academia, a luminary in the mentioned fields of course, Professor Kofi Awoonor, lose his life, has culminated in precautionary but frantic efforts by Ghana to successfully ward off any such probable future mishap on her.
It has been on the news from the government circles that the security forces, especially the ambiguously newly created "Special Forces", are being given additional training to be able to quell any activities of terrorism on the soil of Ghana should any take place.
? I would like to draw the attention of the government, that of the people of Ghana and any other interested foreigners to the fact that as Ghana looks yonder for terrorists, some are right under the nose of the government simmering, but well entrenched. For my audience to better understand the point I am dragging at, I had better define TERRORISM.
? Terrorism is, "the use of violence and threats to intimidate or coerce, especially for political purposes". A Terrorist by definition is a person who terrorizes or frightens others. What then is Terrorize? Terrorize is to dominate or coerce by intimidation or to produce widespread fear by acts of violence.
? Having gone the lengths to define terrorism, may I pause to inquire of you, if acts of terrorism have, or have not been taking place in Ghana? I will not take you farther away than the incidents that happened in the Odododiodoo Constituency in the Greater Accra region and the uncovered secret plots by one Yaw Boateng Gyan to inflict fatal injuries on his political opponents.
? Nii Lamptey Vanderpuye, now a Member of Parliament for Odododiodoo Constituency but then a parliamentary candidate for the mentioned Constituency, hired thugs, instigated them to beat, and even to kill if possible, anyone not bearing Ga but Ashanti/Akan name that tries to register as a voter in the Constituency. As damn wicked, stupid, ignorant and power drunk as he was and always has been, he set loose his rented thuggish NDC sycophants of Ga and other tribes descent except Akan, to frighten off the Akans from venturing into the Constituency to register for election 2012.
? Was Ursula Owusu not given a bloody hiding when she ventured into Nii Lamptey Vanderpuye’s "Out-of-bounds to Akans" marked-out territory, as a challenge to rubbish the audacious stamping of authority by then a mere presidential aide to President Mills – Nii Lamptey Vanderpuye?
? As the Akans were violently resisted from registering to vote in the area, some having their stores and wares destroyed and others beaten up mercilessly, the Atta Mills NDC government, the politicised and biased security forces both watched nonchalantly as though nothing was happening or has happened.
? Moreover, one Yaw Boateng Gyan, the National Youth Organizer for the NDC party, a carnal-minded Pentecostal Christian, was caught on recorded audio tape arranging to have NDC opponents maimed or killed all in a bid to ensure election 2012 success for the NDC. I do not want to delve deep into Mr Gyan’s wicked plot as it is already in the public domain. He and his colleague will answer to God sooner than later if the Church of Pentecost is not currently in a position to demand accountability of his dastardly actions.
? Are the above instances not serious acts of home-grown, although political, terrorism? Do they not have the potency to result in same magnitude of fatalities as the incident at Westgate Shopping Mall in Kenya? As Ghanaians are looking out for people or foreigners clad in Islamic dresses to blame for, or to monitor as possible criminals able to execute terrorist activities, the terrorists are already in Ghana if not within the ruling government and party.
? I believe political terrorism is already rife in Ghana. It did happen in Kumasi not long ago when some allegedly Zongo Community people held part of Kumasi hostage, beating people, stealing their money and wares and firing gunshots into the air and at people in broad daylight.
? I will advise the Mahama/Arthur-Amissah NDC-led government not to look yonder for terrorists. They are right in bed with them. A terrorist is a terrorist no matter where they come from, what dress they wear or which religion they belong in. Are Nii Lamptey Vanderpuye and Yaw Boateng Gyan, both Christians, any different from the Muslims often perceived as terrorists when we critically analyse their intentions and activities as mentioned above?
? "No one can terrorize a whole nation, unless we are all his accomplices" - Edward R. Murrow (1908–1965), U.S. newscaster. Therefore, We need to fight this internal official or political terrorism that has rendered nonsense our national parliamentary and presidential elections. A word to the wise is enough. Are the supposed Special Forces trained or being trained to fight that type of terrorism waged by the above two mentioned persons?
? Rockson Adofo
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