Why is it that in all Ghanaian movies the police are always seen to be beating up mere suspects just for the so called “confession?” The most annoying aspect of it all is that they beat up men and women with authority and behave as if it is the only way they know how to investigate a crime. Such behaviour is not fictional it is the reality. The Ghanaian society is such that the police serve the rich and the poor are always left at the mercy of God Almighty. What the rich man says is the truth and a rich man can take a policeman in his BMW X3 model to arrest a man and beat him up for absolute no reason or at times some bizarre accusation such as he is going out with my daughter or I think he stole my money, this is such a disgrace. The Ghanaian society is such that good personality is based on how much money a person has or how often a person attends church services and such people are more often the worst creatures of the devil himself. Such notion of depicting the rich and the so called pastors and church goes to good personality or purity is damaging the society in the sense that it is further dividing the society in the have( Good ones) and the Have not’s ( bad ones). The only time a poor person is considered to posses a good character is when he has the “humble character” thus a Muppet and the worshipper to the “Good ones”. No one dares to challenge such structure.Unfortunately, the political system is seriously affected by our divisive way of thinking in the sense that an Ashanti man is likely to see an NPP candidate as possessing a good character. Such description is not purely base on policies but merely for the fact that he trusts an Ashanti man to lead the country rather than a Fante or ewe or Hausa man whom are also likely to join the NDC. The social system is based on stereotype. People tend to fear those who are not like us and label them in a box which they are likely never going to break out off such box. I watch the 2008 general election with disgust with Nana Akuffo Addo and his gang trying their best to divide the country even further and thank GOD they did not succeed. But not to single out a sector of the society, the truth is that all Ghanaian are guilty in such divide, We all have contributed to the various division based on wealth, tribes, language, religion, skin colour and the list goes on and on. This has to stop because stereotyping is nothing but a detriment to the society. That is why we have pastors, rich people and all the political blood suckers so freely chopping bodies apart for their own evil mission and the sad aspect of it all is that we the society as a whole have contributed to the success of their mission by going along with the stereotype as we place ourselves in such divisive boxes consciously or unconsciously.
I hope that ordinary people will stand up against the injustice of the police arresting people and beating them up anyhow. It is my hope for a Ghanaian society where the people do have humility enough not to beat up thieves and burn them with petrol and tyres and brag about it. Thieves are human beings and every life is precious therefore should be treated with dignity by allowing them to have their day in court. Thou shall not kill and Love you neighbours as yourself, this quote are well known in our Ghanaian society yet it is sad that our conducts are so opposite to these principles. The Article 5(12) of Ghanaian constitution gives Fundamental human rights and Freedom and state that, (2) a person who is arrested, restricted or detained shall be informed immediately, in a language that he understands, of the reasons for his arrest, restriction or detention and of his right to a lawyer of his choice. The constitution clearly protect individual human rights and our motto freedom and justice could not have express such rights clearly enough. Every Ghanaian owns a duty to respect and implement all rights established under the constitution but my question is that is the government doing enough to educate people of their fundamental rights? Well my view is that if they did so their mission to corrupt the nation will not succeed, God Bless Ghana…
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