Seizure Of Public Toilets, Offices, Parliament Getting To The Head?

From: Stephen A. Quaye, Toronto-Canada.

Suppose some one else told you that the seizures of public toilets was going to turn out to be something else like locking out DCEs as well as chasing ministers from their offices and not allow them to perform their duties, you would not have believed it.

This unacceptable behavior of certain group of young people calling themselves foot soldiers of National Democratic Congress [NDC] started on a light note where no body gave it much attention not even the government officials or that of the leader president Atta Mills.

All sorts of blame game was played about it instead of tackling it head on to ensure that it does not develop into something else like what we are observing now that they have discerned on government officials locking them up and recently scrambling for food meant for parliamentarians and other dignitaries after the state of the nation’s address.

Like detecting a rising smoke in a thick forest and not giving it much attention by finding out what is happening, which person might have set a fire there and did not quench it and has gone home and last but not the least bothering what might be the end result of that rising smoke in the forest.

Now, that smoke which started a couple of months ago that the leaders of the NDC failed to give it much attention by finding out what might be causing it and what may result out of it is biting them hard.

It was really sad and very disgraceful to the president, the leaders of the umbrella party, democracy, party politics and Ghanaians in general as not a single week passes by without any story reported in the media about seizure of public property by these irate youth of NDC party.

When it started with seizure of public toilets in some constituencies, I told myself it was going to get to the head if the leaders of the NDC party do not stop it by enforcing the police service to arrest anybody who goes on rampage seizing public facility.

Then the deputy local government minister Elvis Afriyie Ankrah came out charging the police officers to arrest members of any group in the power who attempts to seize any government property then I said yes.

Not knowing, one of these irate NDC youth groups in Yendi was ready to “beat the shit out of him” when they said they were ready for whoever will order their arrest then I said “ASEM NO AYE CASE PAA OO’’.

The unfortunate thing started to happen, where the foot soldiers moved from seizing public toilets to locking public officials appointed by the president to serve in certain delegate offices of government.

So wild and unrestrictive, the foot soldiers started to lock out District Chief Executives [ DCEs], putting pressure on the president to dismiss regional ministers declaring whom they wanted to lead the party in 2012 at a point where the party has not even serve two years in power. To some extent the president listened to these irate youth by sacking some DCEs and ministers they called for their heads and took over NHIS officers demanding their dismissal and appointment of true NDC members to head those offices.

There came the time where the paramount chief of Abuakwa Traditional Authority [ATA] in Eastern Region, Okyehene Osaagyefo Amoatia Ofori Penin, causing the arrest of NDC leader Shakespeare Ofori Atta for locking out NHIS officer Mr. Daniel Danjuma and handed him over to the Koforidua Police. That action taken by the Okyehene earned him a big respect as a chief showing the way of rulership.

What might be said by the Okyehene was “this nonsense must be stopped one time or not be allowed to continue on my land’’ .Here the IGP my own name sake Paul Tawiah Quaye came out to order his officers and men to clamp down on irate youth who goes on rampage in the name of politics.

Sometimes it is said that a chief does not play politics but when the politician wins their vote they rule over these same chiefs so why can’t they play a role in our politics?

Complaining about the misbehavior of these irate foot soldiers by any chief would be condemned by certain” hawks” as doing politics meanwhile their unacceptable behavior is getting to the head and who knows after attacking the law making house today, the next target would be the castle which is the seat of the government which must be stopped at once.

If all our chiefs will toe the same line by making their subjects aware that really they can not sit down and watch unconcern as they go on rampage destroying state properties that has taken some patriotic citizen’s time, toil and sufferings to put up, this will correct a lot of misbehaviors that are going on in the country.

Then let us ask ourselves, what are the Asantehene, Ga Mantse, New Juaben Manhene, Okuapehene, Kwahu Manhene, Yagbonwura, Bolga Naba, Togbio Mamao ,Nene Mei saying about this youth violence going on in their traditional authorities?

It is time they come out because the politicians alone can not solve the problem. The Ghana Police Service needs the support of the respected traditional authorities otherwise who knows they may be attempting to lock out the president in the castle next time.

Who doubts these irate foot soldiers can do that? It started from the wards then it spread to the constituency levels. From constituency level it went to the district and then to regional. Now it is gradually getting to the head as national ministers heads rolled and satisfied they could push further have succeeded visiting their unruly behavior on the law making body parliament.

It won’t surprise me to read from the media webpage’s reportages that these irate foot soldiers after parliament attack have attempted to force their way to the castle and in the process have clashed with the security there.

Let Ghanaians put aside their political differences and team up to stop these irate youth from allowing their seizures to get to the head.

END.