The former deputy minister of Lands and natural resources and the member of Parliament for Juaboso Constituency, Hon Kwabena Mintah Akandoh has stated that he is not surprise that there are security alerts released by the UK and Canadian government to its citizens in Ghana.
He continued by stating that the safety of Ghanaian citizenry is not that stable indicating the need for these various governments to alert their nationals.
Hon. Akandoh further stated that members of Parliament even use security apparatus to infringe on the human rights of some citizenry, and this act further destroys the weak security we face as a country.
According to him, the police and other security apparatus are not safe on their day to day patrol, having the fear that they might be attached by armed criminals.
He also made it clear that the country is not stable to live in and the security of the country is in bad state.
He was speaking with Onantefour Addae Mununkum on Ahotor FM’s morning show on Friday, 4 August, 2017.
It can be recalled that the Canadian government on May 2017 warned it’s citizens traveling to Ghana to be vigilant, indicating a looming terror attain Ghana.
The noticed stated, “There is a threat of terrorism. Terrorist targets could include shopping malls, government buildings, and public areas such as bars, restaurants, hotels and sites frequented by Westerners. Be aware of your surroundings in public places”.
The UK government also in an article on the gov.uk website advising its citizens.
” Ghana is a conservative and deeply religious country. Although modern and progressive attitude also prevail, you should show respect for traditional values and morals”
Below are the points made by the UK government on their website on how foreign nationals can be safe:
1. Dress modestly in public.
2. Wearing military clothing including camouflage is prohibited.
3. Don’t become involved with drugs of any kind. Penalties for drug related offences are severe. Even possession of small amounts of marijuana can lead to a prison sentence in excess of 5 years, usually after a lengthy and expensive legal process. Bail is not normally granted. Class A drugs like cocaine are likely to be laced with other substances. Foreign visitors, including British nationals, have died after taking these drugs.
4. Carry a photocopy of your passport with you at all times, and put the original document in a safe.
5. Homosexuality is illegal. Although there is a small gay community, there is no ‘scene’ and most Ghanaians don’t accept that such activity exists.
6. Photography near sensitive sites like military installations or the airport is strictly prohibited. Ask permission if you want to take a photograph of a building where there are guards on duty. Beware of self-appointed officials trying to charge fees to take pictures of well-known sites of interest.
7. Ghanaian family law is very different from UK law, particularly when child custody becomes an issue.
8. The fear of having to experience the tragedy of some countries affected by terrorist attacks have brought experts, politicians and even pastors to the centre of this alert.
Daniel koranteng Kwagyiri|ahotoronline.com|Ghana
