“When a fox preaches, take care of your geese”
“When a chick ignores its mother’s warning, the eagle grasps it for a meal”
“If you can’t distinguish how to whistle a festival alarm from a warning alarm, then better not alarm and let he or she who knows the difference do the alarming.”
The above traditional African proverbs came to mind immediately former President Jerry John Rawlings was reported to have admonished Ghanaians to be extra vigilant as the country prepares to go to the polls in December, lest Ghana crumbles under terrorist attacks.
Pointing to “credible intelligence” attributed to several sources, the former military leader is reported to have reiterated that Ghana is on the radar of terrorists. The call, to all intents and purposes, cannot be treated lightly.
The Chronicle cannot rest when a former coup strategist has warned that our country faces a real threat of terrorism with the heightened attacks in our neighbouring countries.
We are even more alarmed when the former president maintains that it would be a fallacy for the country to think it is insulated, whilst it neighbours are being bombarded with terrorist attacks.
It is against this backdrop that we, at The Chronicle, would like to call on the security and safety actors in the country to critically interrogate the submission by the former military leader, who is noted for attacking legitimate governments. This should not be a time to play politics with such a nationalistic position by no mean a person than a former head of state.
Indeed, The Chronicle shares his opinion that, as Ghanaians, we can no longer procrastinate on the matter of terrorism and assume we are insulated from the reality.
To us, at The Chronicle, the time has come for heightened vigilance by every Ghanaian, as we enter a vulnerable period leading up to the December presidential and parliamentary elections.
We have not lost sight on the recent deployment of heavy military presence at Ghana’s borders, which has ignited mix reactions from some residents, especially those in the Volta Region, and from the security point of view, there is the urgent need for collaboration to avoid the situation being exploited by terrorists, who may be lurking around to pounce on any ‘fertile’ situation.
While we would not fault those without security eyes being nervous about the deployment of the military and other security agencies across our border areas, we are of the opinion that ordinary civilians can better guarantee their safety when we keep our ears and eyes open for suspicious movements and activities across our vast borders.
The Chronicle sides with former president Rawlings urging the military and other agencies deployed in the border regions to perform their roles above reproach, and be sensitive to the mood of the people of the border areas, who are already reeling under the pressures of the Coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic.
We have taken this position because we believe any unease and mistrust between the military and communities along the border areas will only create an opening for those engaging in terrorist activities to slip through, increasing the threat to our country.
The Chronicle would also appeal to residents along our borders to be vigilante and share information with state security, bearing in mind that cooperation and sharing of intelligence is key to confronting the terrorism challenge.
The post Editorial: Let’s heed Rawlings’ call appeared first on The Chronicle Online.
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