Bowing under intense pressure from the minority NDC and a cross section of Ghanaians to rationalize and explain away the brutal and abhorrent behavior a fortnight ago of a vigilante group closely associated with it, the ruling New Patriotic Party capitulated and created a Commission of Inquiry to look into the root cause of the unprovoked violence during the Ayawaso by election.
The Commission headed by a veteran NPP elder and jurist, Emile Short and assisted by two other eminent Ghanaians, has a month to come up with answers to questions that are being asked after members of Invincible Forces physically assaulted and shot followers of the NDC in a violent orgy that further exacerbated already frayed political tensions and stained the reputation of the country in eyes of the international community.
Mr. Short and his fellow members of the Commission have a huge responsibility riding on their shoulders. The fate of the nation lies in their hands. Any slip up by the Commission will be consequential, and could in all probability, lead the country into a space it will be unwilling to occupy. Transparency, boldness and putting the interests of Ghana above petty partisan politics should be the guidelines for the Commission.
The Commission has been thrust into a political maelstrom and the entire country will be watching it with eagle eyes, scrutinizing every word that will be uttered to see if the commission whose members are all card carrying bona-fide members of the NPP, would throw partisanship overboard and come up with answers, solutions and recommendations that will once and for all consign political vigilante groups from both major political parties to the periphery of Ghanaian politics.
Indeed, the Commission should not under any circumstances entertain the notion that Ghanaians are going to treat this latest despicable behavior by the Invincible Forces with indifference.
Ghanaians, as a matter of fact, are sick and tired of political vigilantism as exemplified by the nefarious activities of the Invincible Forces.The group has been a thorn in the flesh of Ghanaians; its members have caused Ghanaians sleepless nights.
And the sad thing is that the vigilante group has been allowed, in fact, accorded a free rein by its political paymasters to do as it pleases without fear of being reprimanded or punished.
Now, however, is the time to use a big cudgel against this group of bandits and put them to pasture for as long as there is democratic dispensation in Ghana. They don’t belong to the system and are by all measures a threat to the efficacy of the system we have toiled over several years to build.
Come to think of it, in retrospect, the violence in Ayawaso was senseless and uncalled for, it served no useful purpose if analyzed. Imagine the following scenario; if the NPP had lost the bye-election, it certainly would still have maintained its super-majority in parliament; its political fortunes won’t have been dented.
Conversely, if the NDC had come away as winners, there would have been no significant improvement in its political fortunes; it would still be stuck in opposition.
So, be that as it may, the political dynamics have remained unchanged; while the NPP still rules the country, the NDC continues to bring up the rear —- steadfastly holed up in opposition, yet these dumb politicians endanger the security and welfare of the nation with their foolishness.
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