Is that how low we have taken politics to in this country?
What unfolded when former Greater Accra Regional Minister, Interior Minister and Deputy Minister in charge of National Security Henry Quartey went through at the hands of uniformed soldiers under the direction of a certain Colonel attached to the National Security apparatus was for want of a better description crude, despicable and uncivilised in a democratic setting such as ours.
What informed the said Colonel, a gentleman by virtue of the training he had at the Ghana Military Academy (GMA), to instruct the young persons to misbehave towards a personality such as the man who also served as Member of Parliament (MP) for the Ayawaso Central Constituency for twelve years?
They knew what they were doing because an excuse of not recognising their victim would sound unconvincing and sound stupid. Hon Henry Quartey is a known personality across the political landscape whose special features stand him apart from many, unless the said Colonel wants to tell us that he had lived on Mars when the man served his country and continues to do so in diverse ways.
The said Colonel should be ashamed of himself and know that better officers or Oscars as used in Voice Procedure have served and exited honourably when their time was up. It is this crop of senior officers whose legacy accounts for the badge of honour and distinction on the chest of the Ghana Armed Forces. He too would exit the colours one day and experience disrespect from his subordinates.
He would one day regret doing the bidding of bad politicians through this unacceptable ‘eye-service.’
Here is a man who is by all standards a major stakeholder in the constituency where the building disaster occurred coming to witness the occurrence to sympathise with the victims and a senior military officer orders that he be walked out of the place? This is not the kind of Ghana we want to build.
What impression would have been created had this man who served his constituency and the country with all his heart decided not to set foot on this part of his electoral area where the disaster took place?
What special role did the said Colonel play there anyway when Ghana National Fire Service personnel were doing what they could under the difficult circumstances to rescue the trapped persons? After all, police personnel were on the ground to render the necessary security cover.
Have we degenerated in our politics to an extent that past servants of the country deserve no respect?
We do not want to think that one day when the National Democratic Congress (NDC) is out of power and in opposition, their public office holders would be subjected to such crude treatment. No, it should not happen because such is not commensurate with civility, an important attribute of democracies.
It is regrettable that Other Ranks (ORs) who should be taught to adhere to basic etiquettes would rather show rudeness to a former top political officer by a whole Colonel in the full glare of children. This is not what our young generation should emulate.
Hon Henry Quartey deserves apologies from the said Colonel and whoever directed to misbehave the way he did. It is for good and justifiable reason that former Presidents and Vice Presidents are accorded certain constitutionally protected privileges.