IGP James Oppong-Boanuh
Over the past few months in Ghana, armed robbery has increased at an abnormal rate with the use of dangerous implements and all sorts of firearms.
However, the question many have refused to ask is who is supplying the illegal arms to the armed robbers? Or where do the armed robbers get the guns from?
Terrorism and internal conflicts often contribute to the development of the black market for weapons.
Thank God, Ghana is a country that hasn't experienced any religious or civil war, therefore, the question of illegal guns coming from those sources can be ruled out.
Therefore, it is very likely that illegal gun trade is taking place in the country whereby guns are secretly transported across our weak and porous borders from neighboring countries into Ghana.
It is also likely that the unpatriotic citizens within the military and police forces are contributing to that. This is simple and logical.
With Ghana far behind digitalization of keeping records, some ex-service officers still have guns in their possessions or some police officers steal guns to sell to armed robbers.
I am a Ghanaian but I don’t trust that country. A country where one can easily lose his life without any serious investigations to bring the culprits to face justice is not a country I can be proud of.
Corruption is in high gear in every part of Ghana, even the Supreme Court is not spared, that’s where the real exchange of hands takes place.
Politicians are not sincere, the judges are not sincere, therefore, nothing works in that country called Ghana.
It will be a waste of time and finance to set up an investigation team to find out where the guns ending up in the hands of the armed robbers come from because they are always people occupying high positions in Ghana involved in every illegal activity going on in the country.
Just as the fight against illegal mining has been futile, the same many Ghanaians in high positions, including the police are behind the spate of armed robbery in the country.
Believe me, apart from blacksmiths producing illegal guns to armed robbers in the country, there are some police and army officers involved.
Ghana police are among the poorest and underpaid officers with poor living conditions, therefore, they only survive with their families by seeking extra income, which makes them very corrupt everywhere in the country, especially on roads and at borders.
Only an independent investigation team can uncover the sinister source of arms to arm robbers in the country but firstly, where would that independent investigation come when everyone is corrupt?
Before the rate of armed robbery in the country is reduced or subdued, the Ghanaian government must seriously investigate how illegal firearms come into the country and block that channel. Can this be possible?
Crime is a lucrative and profitable business for criminals; therefore, it is difficult to eradicate it but for the sake of our country to be sane and attract foreign investments, the need to fight against armed robbery in the country should be a priority or similar to that of terrorism.
