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When it comes to doing hazardous duties and even dying when it is necessary in the national interest, it is the men and women of the Ghana navy, Police Service and the Armed Forces who would be called upon to do so.

Yet for years, the Daily Searchlight has learned that the men and women of these three great security services have been called upon to provide their gear for themselves! This practice has even been extended to the penniless recruits who are just coming into the service.

A recent prospectus of one of the training schools of one of these institutions intercepted by the Daily Searchlight indicate that some of these recruits and their mothers and fathers are being called to produce as many as fifty-seven (57) separate pieces of items for their training.

Some of these items include Needle and Thread (black and white) Broom (Standing) Broom (Short) White Board Marker, Month guard (for boxing) Vim, Disinfectant (Dettol, Camel etc) Torch Light with battery, Mosquito Spray, Mosquito Net (White), Electric pressing Iron, Drying lines, Scrubbing Brush and Boot Brush, Starch, Cutlass (Crocodile Machetes), Drying Pegs, bucket (Metal/Rubber), Pillow, White Bet Sheet, White Pillow Case, as well as t-shirt and shorts.

The first and very obvious drawback to this practice is standardization, because each individual is going to his or her own market to acquire the products.

The second drawback, which should cause considerably more worry, is the fact that these people who are supposed to be our protectors as a nation and people, are being forced to buy their own equipment and gear.

The effect of morale, discipline, patriotism and self-sacrifice can only be imagined.

With regard to the navy, for instance, the recent discovery of oil in Ghana, which has the potential for accelerating industrialization and economic growth, requires a well-equipped Navy to combat the run-offs associated with the commodity.

Their contributions to the nation’s development can never be quantified in any economic term.

We should remember that at all times that upon completion they would be working for mother Ghana and not for themselves therefore anything that is not in the interest of mother Ghana in the course of discharging our duties is a slap in the face of democracy and the rule of law.

A senior citizen who spoke to this paper on the matter said we should find more proactive ways and means to resolve this issue in order to create the appropriate morale among troops who are to sacrifice themselves for us.