Judiciary Must Stop Irresponsible Politicians From Holding Ghana To Ransom

Author's note: This was written on 14/8/2013. It is being posted today, because I was unable to do so on the day. Please read on:


Today (14/8/2013), Ghana's judiciary finally served notice,  to all those in our country, who it appears will stop at nothing in their quest for political power.


Justice Atuguba, the president of the 9-member panel of Supreme Court judges,  who have been hearing the December 2012 presidential election petition, spoke so eloquently on behalf of  all the  citizens of Ghana, when Mr. John Owusu-Afriyie and Mr. Hopeson Adoryeh appeared before them, for statements both had made that were deemed to be in contempt of the nation's highest court.


In today's  hearing,  the Supreme Court judges showed  the world,   just how conscious they are,   of the important role the judiciary plays in preserving Ghanaian democracy,   and ensuring the  rule of law in our country.


Justice Atuguba was spot on,  in his observation - made when responding to pleadings by  Mr. Ayeekoi Otoo, a former Attorney General during the tenure  of President Kufuor,  on behalf of  his clients and fellow New Patriotic Party (NPP) members,  Mr. John Owusu-Afriyie and Mr. Hopeson Adoryeh  -  that some of our nation's  politicians  seem oblivious of the possible repercussions of their utterances,  and the danger their irresponsible statements  pose,  to the  stability of our country  and the maintenance of law and order across the nation.


Sadly,  it says a great deal  about the nature of our nation's politics, that,  what,  if it had been  repeated  by a leading politician in any Western democracy,  would have immediately drawn a chorus of demands for his resignation,  from his position as general secretary of his party,    was met instead with    deafening silence in the Ghanaian media -  and hypocritical noises from  his party colleagues,  who instead of condemning their irresponsible utterances, rather chose to mount an overnight vigil and say  prayers for John Owusu-Afriyie and Hopeson Adoryeh.


The time has come to end the impunity enjoyed by our educated urban elites - in a nation in which the rule of law is said to prevail:  and where all are supposed  to be equal before the law.


It has become obvious  to the  discerning in Ghana that the ability of our ruling elites to escape punishment for wrong-doing is gradually ruining our nation.


It is an outrage that whiles prisons across our country are jam-packed with the poor and marginalised in society,  serving long prison sentences  for petty crimes -   such as the theft of mobile phones  and goats -   the rich and powerful,  who regularly steal billions of cedis of taxpayers' money, constantly get away with their nation-wrecking white-collar crimes.


As a people,  we must demand that our country's  politicians,   and  other members of our educated urban elites, behave responsibly at all material times - and insist that those of them who break the law,  are tried and punished,  as prescribed by the laws of our nation.


Justice Atuguba and his colleagues - who tempered justice with mercy in this particular  instance - must be congratulated for their  judgment-of-Solomon,  in  punishing John Owusu-Afriyie and Hopeson Adoryeh, in the most  appropriate of fashions.


The judiciary in Ghana must not relent in its determination to ensure that practical effect is given to the hackneyed phrase "all are equal before the law" - by making sure that the rich and powerful in Ghanaian society,  also pay for their crimes, like the poor have always done.


Above all, judges in Ghana,  must not allow selfish politicians to destroy our nation,  because they want power at any  cost  - by severely punishing those of them who fan violence in society :  either in pursuit of power or in order to hold on to power.


It is time it was made clear to the leadership of all the political parties in Ghana that they will be  held directly   responsible  for the actions and inaction of the violence-prone amongst  their membership.


The Ghanaian nation-state  must not be allowed to be destroyed,   because of the inordinate and overweening ambitions,   of a small group of ruthless and self-seeking individuals - who do not care one jot about the effect of their actions,  on the lives of millions of their fellow countrymen, in their quest for political power  and its handmaiden - in the Ghanaian context - super-wealth.


The judiciary in Ghana must stop irresponsible politicians from  holding  Ghanaians  to ransom.


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