Editorial: Prescription For Chaos

Prescribing a ruling party�s colours for the National Security Coordinator is a prescription for chaos in a country already overloaded with seemingly intractable pockets of flashpoints. It was not surprising that news about assigning the National Security Coordinator, Lt. Col. Gbevlo-Lartey (rtd), an additional role of campaign manager of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) came to many Ghanaians as a rude shock. Sources have hinted Daily Guide that neither the Coordinator himself nor other party functionary understands what exactly the job description entails. That the above-mentioned persons do not entirely understand the job description of the National Security Coordinator in his new two-hat assignment stems from the unusualness of the task. Perhaps, they are only feigning ignorance of the descriptions or just playing a trick. Whatever it is, something does not add up and we must watch it and now. Assigning a National Security Coordinator, bearing a baggage of the notorious so-called Commandos, of which he commanded before, the task of managing the campaign machinery of the NDC is to send a signal to the other political parties that the political turf is going to be rough, in favour of the ruling party- an inflammable situation which can catch fire with the minutest of sparks. Assuring NDC thugs that a whole National Security Coordinator is on their side is a sure path to confusion in the days to the 2012 and beyond, the noisy defence being made by some radio station talkatives notwithstanding. National Security Advisers and Coordinators in politically civilized societies, like other critical public servants such as military chiefs, must be able to conceal their political colours even when we know where they belong. Every Ghanaian has his or her political sympathies but these, under certain circumstances, must be concealed, lest their efficiencies are doused. Otherwise, why do security agents vote like their civilian counterparts? These agents are first and foremost Ghanaians who have their political preferences but convention demands that these are kept close to their chests for the sake of their rather unique duties. When their superiors begin to flaunt their political colours, such as the National Security Coordinator is doing, then we are heading for chaos. It is worth reminding ourselves about the last elections in which the winner took power with a shoe-string difference, presupposing that the two leading parties are almost equally matched. In a situation where such a difference is not maturely managed, as in the case of making the National Security Coordinator don the NDC colours, the least ignition could lead to a bloodbath. Since such a calamity is avoidable, we think that President John Evans Atta Mills must give the concept another consideration if there was any such treatment in the first place anyway. The National Security Coordinator and the various service chiefs and the Inspector General of Police were chosen, based on how comfortable the ruling party would feel working with them besides the seniority and merit consideration. Those perceived to be sympathetic to the New Patriotic Party (NPP), and in the colours, have been showed the exit under the flimsiest of reasons. As the man who coordinates the activities of the various security agencies in the country, a partisan National Security Coordinator would be sending a wrong signal to police and military commanders on the field to do same. We should not be surprised therefore to soon see the Greater Accra Regional Police Commander in an NDC T-shirt shouting orders at a riot scene. We stand the chance of further blowing the remaining confidence the public has in the National Security Council, of which the President is chairman. When a security-distressed people show lack of confidence in the security agents because their political colours are visible, chaos definitely ensues. We would be heading towards that situation if Gbevlo-Lartey dons two hats.