Bloodcurdling Impunity

Last Monday night, Nii Lante Vanderpuye, an aide to President Mills, made good his Mantse Agbona rally pledge to deal with the New Patriotic Party (NPP) parliamentary candidate in the Odododiodio constituency.

His bloodcurdling body language said it all: He was ready to unleash the state security apparatus and thugs on whoever outside the NDC undertakes party activities in Odododiodio. After all, he works at the Presidency and very close to the Commander-in-Chief.

The gentleman, if he deserves to be addressed as such, organized thugs and persons suspected to be national security operatives to disrupt a meeting of an NPP cell in a manner that can best be described as not only crude but beastly.

He had earlier promised not to allow NPP meetings in the Rashidiyya cell of the constituency because it is close to his father’s house; Nii Lante Vanderpuye should be basking in a delusion of transient grandeur. How pitiful.

It sounds weird that an individual can arrogate to himself the power to order state security operatives to disrupt a meeting of fellow citizens in a country in which the President swore to uphold the rule of law and ensure civility. After all, we are not living in the animal kingdom where the likes of Nii Lante Vanderpuye in furs, prey on smaller inhabitants of the fauna.

The damage the uncouthness of Nii Lante Vanderpuye is causing the image of President Mills and his government is an unenviable one. Decent persons do not want to associate themselves with the likes of this fellow. His conduct sets him apart from decent persons brought up in the best of traditions and not reared like caged felines.

When a President allows persons like the one under review to hold positions at the seat of power, such conducts become the attributes of the operatives of the Presidency, regrettably. In the face of all these, we shudder to think that his boss, true to his nature, will gloss over it or even pretend not to have heard about it let alone crack the whip.

Nii Lante Vanderpuye lacks the manners required of persons working at the seat of government and we are not surprised at his conduct so far, having exhibited this since he stepped into the realm of politics.

We have told the President for the umpteenth time that such men with the proclivity to misconduct themselves are best needed, if at all, on the campaign trail, and not when power is achieved and the serious activities of government business are activated.

It is our hope that the Police would pass the test which lies on their bosom by the breach of the law which took place at Zongo Lane; they must show that politicians cannot dictate to them and that they would deal with the case professionally, regardless of the calls they would receive from above. We are watching.

Source: Editorial (D-Guide)