Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo
In Ghana, it seems politicians are above the law. While, of course, that is technically not the case, it is a fact that law enforcement agents are apprehensive of arresting politicians when they have to. This is a serious blemish we must tackle as a nation.
It is even more serious when suspects are opposition elements because cops fear being labelled sympathizers of one party or the other. Cops should not be swayed by such tongue wagging provided they are being professional about their duties.
It has been many weeks now since the police invited National Democratic Congress (NDC) National Chairman Ofosu-Ampofo to assist them in an investigation bordering on national security.
His party lawyers and elders told him not to honour the invitation. We were amazed that it was an otherwise respectable gentleman, Alhaji Mahama Iddrisu, who read the speech which sought to provoke the Police.
We were surprised that the face of the elderly man was used to represent the opposition party’s defiance and rudeness towards the laws of the country. We were saddened and still are that the elderly man would allow himself to be used to trample upon the laws of the land in such a manner. The speech was certainly prepared for him to read. But couldn’t he demur and insist on rewording it; he could even encourage Ofosu-Ampofo to see the CID Chief. That is one of the characteristics of elderly persons unless we are being told that in the NDC this does not hold.
We are not enthusiastic about the delay on the part of the Police in compelling the said party National Chairman to appear at the CID headquarters.
We shudder to think that a bad precedence has been set by the action of the NDC. In future, it presupposes that political parties can refuse to honour police invitations, the implications of this being the erosion of the authority of the law enforcement agency in the country.
The leadership of the NDC must be patting each other on the back for getting away with their insulting behaviour to the police and the Ghanaian nation. After all, former President John Mahama boasted about the NDC being far ahead of the NPP when it comes to lawlessness.
A country’s advancement is measured through a number of factors. One of them is the level of the rule of law and how this is protected by existing institutions. When those employed to enforce the laws of a country are unable to ignore the nonsense spewed by politicians and therefore carry out their mandate when the security of the state is threatened then something is wrong.
Those who harbour dangerous plots against the country must be adjudicated and dealt with when found culpable.
We are by this commentary demanding that the Police enforce the law to the letter no matter whose ox is gored. The law should be protective of all irrespective of party affiliations or ethnic background. This is what stands a primitive society from a civilized one.