Arrest Of Okatakyie Afrifa And Arbitrary Invasion Of Dr. Ernest Addison’s Home; Different Actors, Same Script

Long ago, the elders of the land warned that when the hunter begins to fear the antelope, the forest is no longer a place of order but chaos. They said that if the keeper of the village drum begins to beat it in the dark of night, not to call the people to council but to drown out their voices, then the village is no longer a home but a den of shadows.

In today’s Ghana, the drums are beating, but not for the reasons the elders intended. The arrest of Okatakyie Afrifa Mensah, a voice that has long echoed in the marketplace of political criticism, has stirred the land like a storm in the dry season. His arbitrary arrest and subsequent release, shrouded in the mist of unclear circumstances, has left many clutching their heads in disbelief. For what crime does a man face the wrath of the state when his only weapon is his tongue?

The opposition NPP has raised its voice, calling the arrest an assault on democracy. Justin Frimpong Kodua, the party’s General Secretary, has spoken boldly, warning that such actions threaten the very fabric of free speech. Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin has echoed these concerns, cautioning against the use of state security as a tool to silence dissent. But in a land where the drums of justice often fall silent, will their words be enough to stir the conscience of those in power?

Meanwhile, the raid on the home of former Bank of Ghana Governor Dr. Ernest Addison has added fuel to the fire. Armed operatives, like thieves in the night, stormed his residence, disabled his eyes (the CCTV), and ransacked his home in search of hidden treasures. Deputy Minister of Justice Srem Sai has defended the raid, claiming it was done in accordance with the law. But the people ask: When did the law become a weapon to be wielded in the dark, rather than a torch to light the way?

Shamima Muslim, a Deputy Presidential Spokesperson, has said there should be no problem as long as due process is followed. But the people remember. They remember when the NDC accused the Akufo-Addo government of high-handedness. They remember the promises of change, the vows to do better. Yet here we are, watching the same play with different actors. The script remains the same; only the faces have changed.

It is said that when the leopard and the lion fight, it is the grass that suffers. In Ghana today, it is the people who bear the brunt of this political theater. The arrest of Afrifa Mensah and the raid on Addison’s home are not just isolated incidents; they are symptoms of a deeper malaise. A malaise that festers when those in power forget that their authority is not a crown to be worn but a trust to be honored.

The elders also say that when the pot of vindictiveness boils over, it scalds not just the hands of the vindictive but the feet of the innocent. The people of Ghana are tired of being scalded. They are tired of watching their leaders repeat the mistakes of the past, tired of seeing the drums of justice beaten to the rhythm of political vendettas.

If Ghana is to heal, the anti-vendetta councils of our democracy must act. The voices of the people must be heard, not silenced. The drums of justice must beat not in the dark but in the light of day. And those who have sworn to protect the village must remember that their duty is not to the throne but to the people.

President Mahama has started his second tenure with a considerable amount of goodwill. Indeed, the early signs have been very positive, painting the picture of a man ready to depart from the ghosts of his former administration. However, these recent incidents of wanton abuse of authority under the guise of National Security, led by a man dishonorably discharged from the Army, could effectively erode any public confidence in the government.

For in a land where the hunter fears the antelope and the keeper of the drum beats it in the dark, it is only a matter of time before the forest becomes a place of chaos, and the village, a memory of what once was.

Source: GhanaFeed.Com