THE ECONOMIC AND ORGANIZED CRIME
OFFICE (EOCO) MUST GET SERIOUS – ENOUGH OF THE LEGENDARY LAWLESSNESS AND THE
ACCOMPANYING IMPUNITY
IDDI
MUHAYU-DEEN'S FOLDER
There is no denying the fact that increasingly,
some of our State Institutions especially the security agencies are regrettably
losing their focus and this, concerns me a lot. Indeed, now more than ever,
public confidence in these institutions is at all-time low. And to think that
these are institutions that were setup primarily, to enforce the laws of our
country and ensure absolute compliance to our legal regime, makes the narrative
even more disconcerting. This is because these security agencies are
themselves, the number one lawbreakers.
As a matter of fact, anytime their names are
mentioned, then you can be rest assured that it is for all the bad reasons.
They are either engaged in acts of lawlessness or disdainful regard for due
process or flagrant violations of people’s fundamental rights and the likes.
These security agencies have lost their relevance because they have allowed
themselves to be used by the governing Political Elites to pursue purely partisan
agenda and political vendetta against opposition elements.
The government of the day thus, uses these
otherwise fine security capos or “professionals” to unlawfully harass,
victimize, intimidate, gag and persecute its ardent critics and political
opponents with the view to cowing all and sundry into submission. You dare not
call the bluff of the “big men” in government irrespective of the legitimacy of
your issues against this ruling class so called. And we are supposed to be a
democratic nation? How paradoxical!
They don't respect our fundamental Rights, they
don't respect our Laws, they don't respect our Constitution, they don't respect
our Courts, they have become a law onto themselves and only do what pleases
them. They determine what is lawful in this country and not what the
Constitution or our Court says. All they care, is instruction/order from
"oga at the top", otherwise known as the POLITICIAN.
It would be recalled that recently, one man by name
Baba Kamara used the BNI to settle personal issues he had with his next-door
neighbor in a purely civil matter by ordering the BNI to arrest the gentleman
and denies him access to counsel. How unfathomable! The story is not any different
when you talk about the police CID, National Security and EOCO. The value is always
the same. Such a shame!
We have all heard in the news that in the early
part of this week, one of the most successful entrepreneurs in this country;
who also doubles as a politician in the person of Dr. Papa Kwesi Nduom was
invited by EOCO to explain how his party (the PPP) was able to raise money to
pay for his Filing Fees as a Presidential Candidate and that of their
parliamentary candidates in a number of Constituencies.
In their desperate attempt to justify the actions
of EOCO, I have heard some government communicators contend that EOCO is acting
based on rumours that suggest that he (Ndoum) may have used the deposits of the
customers of “his bank”, the GN Bank to pursue his political interest. How
repugnantly nauseating! Meanwhile, they won’t provide any modicum of evidence
to back their claims. These government communicators do not care about the
collateral damage that this absurdity they are championing may have on the good
image of this indigenous Bank of ours.
Yet, this is a government that claims to believe in
creating an enabling environment for local businesses to grow. Obviously, this
cliché, under the circumstances, has fallen absolutely flat on their faces and has
only proven to be a mere lip service. It is not surprising that they are
lampooning Nana Akufo Addo of the NPP for drinking kalypo, another made in
Ghana product. Again, this is the only government that has also introduced
several NUISANCE TAXES which are suffocating the Ghanaian business man.
Now back to the Ndoum’s story, we all know that
among the Presidential Hopefuls, Dr. Papa Kwesi Ndoum is the richest. He owns
not less than 75 successful business enterprises including Banks world over,
non-bank Financial Institutions, Football Clubs, Radio Stations, Tv Stations,
Newspaper, Hotels, Schools, Entertainment Centres, Insurance Companies, a
Brokerage, Construction Companies and several Industries.
Notwithstanding all of these, EOCO, which is an
organ of the A-G’s department and Ministry of Justice is telling us that Ndoum
couldn’t have raised the necessary funds to pay for his Filing Fees. However, ‘jokers’
like Akua Donko, Ayaricough, Apalloo, Odike and co, whose business is
essentially, to act as “political fools” in pursuit of the political interest of
some people and get paid with our taxes, could raise such an amount of money. I
think we are getting crazy in this country.
It is pretty obvious that the only reason why Ndoum
is being persecuted is because some people see him as one of the threats to
their political ambitions hence the need to embarrass him in order to make him
lose credibility before Ghanaians. If EOCO is really a serious organization
that is minded to act professionally at all-time, then it is not Ndoum they
should be investigating but rather these ‘political jokers’ as well as the NDC
leadership. This is a political party [NDC] that recently whiles in opposition,
couldn’t find money to pay the electricity bills for its national headquarters,
couldn’t pay its auditors and couldn’t discharge some of its financial obligations.
However, upon winning elections and forming
government, the party has become synonymous to profligacy, ostentation and
flamboyance in all its dealings. They can now afford a $20 million ultramodern
office complex at the centre of Accra, Adabraka. Another reason why the NDC
ought to have been the party to be investigated by EOCO is because the party
has consistently been indicted by the Ghana Integrity Initiative for using
State funds to finance their political campaigns and engaging in blatant abuse
of incumbency. This, EOCO, the so called independent state institution is not
interested in investigating. Professionals indeed!
They are rather interested in investigating how
Ndoum made his money even though there exists more than enough evidence to
vindicate this successful entrepreneur of our time. Such a pity! Like I always
maintained, in Ghana, once you are associated with the government of the day,
you are untouchable (montie 3 and co on my mind). Almost every state
institution has been compromised by the politicians. Very shameful to say the
least. Until our professionals begin to act as professionals, I’m afraid we
shall continue to wallow in this counterproductive regime. Well, I pray they do
for the love of country…
Assalamu
alaikum
This
piece was compiled by a concerned Ghanaian in the business of OCCUPYING HEARTS
and MINDS for the love of God and country.
IDDI
MUHAYU-DEEN
Youth
Activist/Social Commentator
Former
NUGS Secretary
(0245335197)
