Others Turned A Blind Eye On Vigilantism; I Will Arrest It” – President Akufo-Addo
The President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has
assured Ghanaians that he will do everything in his power to arrest the
new phenomenon of vigilantism.
Addressing a meeting of the
National House of Chiefs on Monday, 6th November, 2017, President
Akufo-Addo stated that “I will not walk the path others trod who found
it convenient to turn a blind eye to the criminal misdeeds of their
followers and took no action, as it would displease them.”
The
President added that “I am walking another path, the path of making
reality the principle of the rule of law, the idea of equality of every
citizen before the law. Wrongdoers wear no political colours. They are
just wrongdoers, and will be dealt with as such.”
Urging the
membership of the National House of Chiefs to speak out and join
Government’s fight against the ills of our society – corruption, social
and economic injustice, crime, he reminded them also about the fight
against the illegal mining menace, popularly referred to as galamsey.
President Akufo-Addo noted that the country has gone through a lot of
difficult times in recent years, and it has meant that some people have
had to find ways and means to keep body and soul together, and, as a
result, engaged themselves in illegal activities, such as galamsey.
“As Chiefs, you have a responsibility, as was done in the days of our
forefathers, to help preserve our lands, water bodies and environment.
We all have a responsibility to say no to galamsey for our own common
survival and the survival of those who are to come. If we allow it, we
are jeopardising both our present and our future. Our responsibility in
this is clear,” he added.
As customary guardians of the morals
of the nation’s communities, both by your conduct and the manner in
which you intervene in their lives, President Akufo-Addo noted that
recent cases, involving the defilement of children, have become causes
for grave concern in the country.
“Such cases cannot be treated
as “family matters”. Again, instances where youths take the law into
their own hands, vandalising properties, can no longer continue, and
must be condemned by all. Perpetrators of such acts must be handed over
to the law enforcement agencies for the laws of the land to take their
course. Senior citizens should not be seen to be making special pleas
for such perpetrators,” the President stressed.
In asking them
to speak out, President Akufo-Addo urged them not to fall into the
well-known temptation of telling him what they think he should hear.
“It would be equally tempting to tell me that I am the best thing that
ever happened to Ghana, and it would be even more tempting to tell me to
ignore my critics. I expect that, as our esteemed Traditional Rulers,
you will not go down that road, but will allow the moral authority of
your status to justify your interventions,” he added.
By the same
token, President Akufo-Addo urged the Chiefs and Queen Mothers not to
be afraid of discarding those rules that do not fit in with modern,
current realities and norms, making particular reference to the
practices that seek to discriminate against women and children.
“It is difficult, for example, to find a scientific, legitimate reason
why children should be given tiny pieces of meat or fish, when children
need more protein than adults. It is difficult, again, to find a
justification for some of the widowhood rites that persist, today, among
many of our peoples. I urge you to be in the forefront of fighting to
discard those outmoded practices, which should have no place in the
Ghana of the 21st century,” he said.
Aware that the Constitution
of the Republic forbids Chiefs to engage in partisan political activity,
President Akufo-Addo noted that their involvement in the public life of
the country derives naturally from their position as traditional
rulers.
It is, thus, his hope that members of the National House
of Chiefs will help set the tone in their areas of influence to help
realise government’s vision for a prosperous and progressive Ghana.
“I would, therefore, appeal to you to lend your voice in support of the
regional and local government reforms being undertaken by my
Government, i.e. the creation of new regions, in accordance with popular
aspirations; the direct election by their people of Metropolitan,
Municipal and District Chief Executives; and creation of new districts
and the upgrading of some existing ones into municipalities. Government
is determined to bring governance closer to the people, and expand the
boundaries of democracy in our country,” the President said.
He continued, “We are counting on you to help shape and integrate yourselves into these developments, so that the peculiarly Ghanaian contribution to the concept of governance, which emanates from the integration of royal, aristocratic institutions into the fabric of a republican, democratic framework, will be enhanced and strengthened to the benefit of the Ghanaian people.”
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