When I blogged on September 2 about hidden Militias in Bawku, some thought'oh yes there he goes again-the NPP boy raising alarm where there is none'. Today we are all witnesses to what is happening in Bawku.
I would be the last to even pretend that the Bawku crisis was caused by the Atta Mills led government but for me the truth we can also not run away from is that in 10 months the crisis in bawku has worsened rather than improved. In ten months the number of people killed in Bawku outnumbers 20 and yet those behind the violence and the killings have not been found and continue to act with impunity.
Our President tried to deceive all of us including himself by forcing the rival regents in Bawku to shake eachother earlier in the year; an act which was followed by a massive publication on the Front page of the Daily Graphic Titled-Peace My People. But I do know that the President is fully aware that until he deals with the real culprits behind the Bawku mayhem, this crisis would continue. Indeed if he does not know that then Ghanaians should start wailing.
Though I am concerned about the Bawku crisis, its implications coupled with other violent incidents witnessed this year give me more cause to be worried and scared. It tells me that there is fire on the mountain sometime soon.
We all were here when in Akwatia, a Deputy Minister of state declared a Jihad over an election everyone knew he had lost. The incidents in Bawku were dangerous, in broad day light top officials of the Opposition including the Chairman and General secretary were attacked in the full glare of the Police. When confronted about the apparent inaction of the Police, the Police complained and responded that they did not have orders to intervene.
Following that 3 people were mercilessly and brutally butchered in front of the Police Station right in the centre of Accra, and the Police did not respond again. Here I should commend the President for not setting up a committee to investigate even though it would have been better to do so in this case than the many other useless committees he has set up.
In Sankore, the NPP supporters have been victimised and taunted and some have even been killed allegedly on the orders of the Deputy Brong Ahafo Minister; indeed the suspect was found hiding under his bed at his Sakumono residence. This and many other general security issues like the seizure of a Military Vehicle by a couple Armed Robbers give me cause to be scared to heel.
Why? Because anytime I remember of these security issues I have outlined or hear of a new one, my mind quickly fastforwards to 2012. Imagine Akwatia expanded to a National scale but this time with the NPP also fully armed to protect themselves and attack NDC folks as well and you would understand me.
It is very clear that the NPP readily handed over power in December because they didnot want the country to break up on their heads as the NDC were bent on winning power by hook or crook as they indicated over and over.
In 2012 however, the NPP would not be in power and with the disastrous rule and victimization been witnessed would also be bent on winning Power. Knowing the NDC and how they have 'loved power in this short time' they would also not want to relinquish power especially as they know that an equal measure of the treatment so far given to the NPP would also be given to them.
The biggest incentive to the 2012 winner is that, that government would have over $500million added revenue from the oil industry and should the NDC lose might potentially mean that they would not be in power for a long long time to come.
The stage is set; lets all pray to survive these hard times and also survive after 2012.
Just for your usage please read the full text of a Press Statement issued by Prof. Mills on July 11 2007 on the Cold Blooded killings of Ghanaians.
PROF. MILLS ON THE COLD-BLOODED KILLINGS OF GHANAINS
The recent slaying of Mr. Rokko Frimpong, Deputy Managing Director of the Ghana Commercial Bank, has
undoubtedly accentuated the belief that we are now in an era where people are engaging the services of
Contract Killers, to either settle scores or for the pursuit of their very selfish interests.
Before the cold blooded murder of Mr. Frimpong, a prominent Corporate Executive, Mr. Awuah Boateng,
and an accomplished journalist, Mr. Samuel Ennin, were all murdered in cold blood by heartless assassins
who killed not because they wanted to steal property or wealth, but killed because the mission was to wipe
out their victims.
Apart from the very professional manner in which the assassins carry out their assignments, a very worrying
trend that is being established, is, the hit men have exhibited brazen bravado which reeks of a “we fear
nothing” attitude as they execute their jobs without masking themselves.
It is this “we fear nothing” attitude that Ghanaians must be extremely worried about since the message that
the assassins and their bosses are sending is that they either don’t care if they are caught, or know that they
are so well connected and protected that they cannot be caught.
As scary as the current phenomenon of Contract Killing is, it is not difficult to draw a link between what is
happening and Ghana having become a key hub and major transit point for the illicit drug trade.
Ghana has become a principal corridor through which transnational drug trafficking groups operate and
incontrovertible evidence abounds to that effect.
The magnitude of ill-gotten wealth that the drug trade makes available to the barons, allows them to use
money to buy almost anything – including buying the services of hit men.
It cannot be ruled out that contract killers also tend to be users of drugs hence the barefaced boldness we
are witnessing as in the three cases in question, the hit men have operated without masks.
Ghana is no longer the safe country and investment destination that it used to be and I am calling on
President Kufuor, his Interior Minister, and the Inspector General of Police, to not only find the assassins and
brains behind these heinous crimes, but also restore hope in Ghanaians that we can operate within a safe
environment and not live in constant fear not knowing who would fall victim next to the bullets of the contract
killers.
John Evans Atta Mills
NDC Presidential Candidate)
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