Our Hypocrisy is killing us

One of the exigent issues that the Saviour of this world was very much concerned while on earth was the issue of hypocrisy. Inarguably, Jesus Christ almost used every platform he had to condemn acts of pretence and insincerity. Why was the Light of this world so particular about hypocrisy? The obvious answer is that, hypocrisy kills. The greatest thing that is killing Ghana today is not the prevalence of HIV/AIDS, malaria, guinea worm or corruption but hypocrisy that has taken entrenched position in almost all aspects of our lives. We are always criticizing others while we fail to remove the log in our own eyes. We paint the picture that we are saints but we do worst things than those that we are persistently criticizing. Lamentably, the canker has devoured every aspect of our lives. This article therefore seeks to point out some of these flaws in some of our public institutions and other areas of our lives to provoke public discourse for the betterment of Ghana .

THE POLICE SERVICE

Undeniably, the police service among others is to ensure law and order to promote peace in the country. They invariably achieve the above by enforcing our laws. They are therefore always bent on arresting or apprehending suspected criminals to ensure their prosecution and subsequent conviction. This indeed is desirably and inevitably necessary in so far as our peace and security is concern. However, the police have on many occasions blatantly refused to act in the same manner when any of their officers fall into the same ‘soup.’ Over the years, the service has come under persistent condemnation for taking bribes and indulging in brutalities. Unfortunately, little efforts seem to have been made to make such officers to face the full rigors of the law as they would have done to other ordinary individuals. This is sheer hypocrisy!

The rampant report of alleged police brutalities in recent times is very alarming and regretful. It is very disheartening when people (government agents) entrusted with the needed authority to ensure law and order in the Ghanaian society consistently violate such laws themselves with the greatest impunity. It is now a common occurrence in Ghana that hardly does a month pass without a report on police or military officers involving in brutalities against defenseless civilians. As a matter of fact, in some of my publications on the above demanding issue, I enumerated credible reports of police brutality in Ghana . Between 2002 and 2006 for instance, there have been about eleven collective reports of instances of brutalities by some security personnel in the country. Shockingly, more than ten cases were reported in 2007 alone. Thousands of Ghanaians through these aberrant conducts either sustained injuries or died. The names of the late Messrs Issah Mobilla, Kwame Sarpong, George Atua, Samuel Asamoah, Kofi Ketewa, Francis Kofi Poku (a.k.a kalala) and so forth have left scars on the conscience of humanity and for that matter Ghanaians. The above are a few examples of the severity of police and military brutalities in the country. It is worth lamenting that little or no effort seems to have been made by the Interior Ministry, the office of the Inspector General as well as that of the Attorney-General to prosecute the alleged perpetrators of these heinous crimes.

To ensure accountable security service/force to guarantee the liberties of all persons, legal proceedings or adequate disciplinary measures must be initiated against any officer who acts ultra vires in the performance of his duties. Public security officers should also be held responsible for abuses they knew or should have known of their occurrence and did not take action. It is very unfair to be incredibly fervent in prosecuting other ordinary members of the society who may be found to have breached the law, only to be unconcerned or act very slowly when these same officers jump into the same ‘soup.’

THE JUSTICE SYSTEM

The attitudes of some our court officials and lawyers leave so much to be desired. We portray to society to be the pillars or icons of justice but some of our actions directly and indirectly thwart the smooth running of the justice system. Some of our court officials for example take bribes before they perform their required duties or to pervert justice. There have been numerous instances where some of our court officials have hidden dockets or induced those who needed their service to make some unlawful payments for their cases to be heard earlier. Meanwhile, we are always bragging that we are promoting justice. This is absolute hypocrisy.

Lawyers undoubtedly do defend the law. They therefore with vigilant eyes, search all aspects of our lives to see whether all that we are doing are constitutional. Majority of our lawyers in fact are prepared to ‘fight’ injustice in society even unto death. However, the behaviour of some our lawyers taint the integrity of their noble profession. There is no question that most lawyers are the reason behind the unnecessary adjournments in our law courts, hence some of the unimaginable delays of cases. Some lawyers incessantly refuse to attend court sittings especially in cases where their chances of winning are very slim. Besides, some lawyers aid their clients to ‘buy’ justice in their quest to win every case. These menaces obviously contradict what lawyers seek to stand for-justice for all; hence their hypocrisy.

OUR POLITICIANS AND LEADERS

Majority of our politicians are always criticizing and fail to give credit to whom credit is due. They see whatever is done by members of the other side of the political divide as devilish. They turn blind eyes towards the positive acts of their opponents. Meanwhile, these same politicians would like to be adorned with credit for every little effort they make when exercising political power. Besides, most of our politicians are always preaching peace but they indirectly incite the public to some inflammatory passions and beat war drums everyday. In addition, some of our politicians preach unity and claim to represent the interest of everybody yet they practice nepotism and rule along ethnic or party lines when they are given power. Lastly, some of them embezzle or amass wealth through kickbacks in the name of undertaking developmental projects to better our lives. They preach virtues and practice vice. These are indeed perpendicular to hypocrisy!

It has disgracefully become a usual practice in this country that officials of every government in power are sanctimonious-none of them can commit a criminal offence. Ironically, we have, even in the present government, witnessed several instances where some former ministers of the immediate-past regime have been accused, prosecuted and convicted for intentionally causing financial loss to the state. The names of Messrs Victor Serlomey (the late), George Sappey Yankey, Ibrahim Adams, Kwame Peprah and of course, Dan Abodakpi are still fresh in the minds of Ghanaians.

Regrettably, the law under which these former ministers were convicted was passed by the same administration that they belonged. The potent question that lingers in the minds of many critical observers is whether the purported evil deeds of the above personalities were never noticed or discovered or reasonably suspected during the days that they were ‘kings’? Certainly, compromises were at their highest peak. Meanwhile, numerous people were convicted for committing similar or other offences during the same period. The malevolence of those people was swiftly noticed, hence their conviction. The trend is not too different even under the present government. Aside the episode of Mallam Issa, Ghanaians are yet to witness any serious legal action against any of the ministers who are alleged to have committed some financial malfeasance in the present regime. This in no doubt compels many people to question the practicality of the equality before the law doctrine in Ghana .

THE CITIZENRY

Some of our youth always resort to mob action as if they were saints. Between 2006 and 2007 for example, more than twenty five people were lynched through mob action and vigilantism. The name of the late Mr. Anthony Yeboah Boateng is still fresh in our memory. Mr. Boateng was murdered in cold blood by some ill-advised youth at Atronie in the Brong Ahafo region when he was mistaken for criminal, upon seeing a corpse in his car on 8th April, 2007. We act unlawfully in our quest to weed out criminals; meanwhile, we are criminals ourselves. It takes character to criticize character and anything short of this is hypocrisy. The question that Jesus Christ posed in John 8 is still alive and relevant in our days. Therefore ‘whichever one of you has committed no sin may throw the first stone at her (a perceived criminal).’ Aside the above, we are always criticizing our leaders for corrupt practices. Meanwhile, we are guilty of pilfering, tax evasion, insertion of ghost names on our payrolls, unreasonable use of power and water and even to the extent of refusing to pay tariffs or bills. Pathetically, we also assist the same politicians in their illicit undertakings and share in their booty. Are we not hypocrites?

CONCLUSION

Let us remove the plank or log in our eyes first before criticizing others to ensure our development in all fields. Join me next time to scrutinize the media, our health service, teachers and lecturers, the religious bodies and their cliques.