Maxwell Adams Mahama

When he spoke, he was for peace, but they were for war. A young handsome military officer who had a loaded pistol on him at the time he was attacked, but tried to use peaceful means to ward off that attack, met with death. His quest for peace resulted in him being killed like a wild animal. And to have a woman who possibly had briefly housed children in her womb for nine months each to know the value of life, but went on to torch Mahama's lifeless body, is reminiscent of Anita de Sosoo driving a huge Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) over youth who were siting peacefully around a polling booth area.

We woke up to greet God for giving us another day, only to be confronted with the most awkward news of the lynching of a military captain, whose only crime was that he was going jogging with his pistol on him.

News coming from all quarters on this matter gets man more and more angry and confused. Unofficial military information, not statement, had it that Maxwell was posted to Denkyira-Buasi to protect a legal mining concession and stop galamsey going on. Most likely, he was well known in the area as a military officer.

Another source intercepted on social media had it that Maxwell had been stationed there for three weeks to fight against illegal mining.

This did not go down well with the inhabitants and perpetrators in a community which is full of Chinese people who carry weapons around like farmers carrying their cutlasses. The presence of the military in the area has been great source of worry for these miscreants.

Debunking another story that Maxwell got lost and started asking directions, thus raising suspicion that he was an armed robber, this source claimed that the local Assembly Member is an illegal miner himself, and, therefore, to teach Maxwell a lesson, and the army as a whole and make them leave them in peace, he had to be lynched.

Oh! I remember those Acheampong days when you, but only, argue rudely with military personnel, your area will suddenly be turned into a battlefield, with slaps coming from all directions of the globe. This community would have been wiped off from the face of the earth.

Now the whole thing does not make sense. If, indeed, this man was an armed robber, as some sources claimed the community members were saying, then why did he not go down with a few people by shooting some idiots in the head? Now from the video clip it looked like no one carried a gun or firearm, so, except the one attacked is, indeed, peaceful and would not intend harming anyone, I am sure any agitated fellow like me will offload my pistol into people's bodies, and make the escape when that element of surprise still made people shocked and motionless. And they videoed recorded this dastardly act.

Maxwell was a real officer and a gentleman, and he faced death while professing peace and love to his executioners.

What is getting equally worrisome is the ever-growing tendencies of some Ghanaians to bring down another Ghanaian, in order to make sure a foreigner remains protected to rip Ghana off her wealth and riches.

We have this country full of big foreign-owned retail companies carrying on the businesses of trading in supermarkets. Suddenly, A-Life came on the scene as a Ghanaian-owned big-time retail supermarket chain. But Ghanaians saw to the quick demise of this vendor, who sold top quality goods at very cheap prices, that small scale shop owners even found it more profitable buying from it and reselling and making good profit.

A-Life's top bankers helped drive the company into debts from loans and overdrafts it did not sign up to. In the end, the company went bankrupt, while the foreign-owned ones continued to thrive. It was alleged that some members of the Syrian, Lebanese and Indian communities had loaded some Ghana-Must-Go cases full of currency to coerce Ghanaian officials to do A-Life in.

When Jerry John Rawlings was released from prison on Monday June 4, 1979, and made to boom his loudest, the frightened foreign business persons sort to make sure they had his head. We heard that they placed a hefty ¢10,000,000 on his head. Ten million cedis in 1979 will be about GH¢202,543.33 in today's real term, at the base rate of 15% p.a. Over two billion pre-Kufuor 'dollar' cedis; and this is how far a foreigner can go to make us kill ourselves.

Today Russians, Ukrainians, Chinese and other nationals have used all foul means to destroy our eco-system in search of gold, and our own chiefs, traditional leaders, opinion leaders, the high-and-mighty, politicians, and what have you, will do all in their power to grant them shelter and peaceful conditions to implement their illegalities. Even if it means that a Ghanaian should be killed, maimed or disabled in the process. Just for a fist full of dollars, just for a few dollars more.

Today, fine gentlemen, who we used our taxpayers money to train so that they can protect us while we sleep, are being murdered in cold blood, by us.

Some people claim that galamsey is their only source of livelihood, and I ask was this what their parents and grandparents were doing before they were born? It seems the dangers and harmful effects of galamsey have not taken root in the minds some of true Ghanaians. They call poisoning of the land and natural waters, a livelihood?

When incurable diseases start affecting people, will these same people not start shouting at the government and authority to do something? When we lose our lands and water bodies to lethal poisons, will they not ask the government and authority to do something about it?

And so, if in the wisdom of government and authority these people are been stopped, it calls for the death of innocent Ghanaians. And what is even heart-breaking is the fact even though they knew the army captain, they went on to kill him like a wild animal, and came out to say they thought he was an armed robber. And they videoed recorded this. This cleverly plotted evil cannot be pardoned.

There is perhaps a sinister plot being hatched to make the government's action to halt all illegal mining turn bloody, so that a national call will turn to appeal to government to allow them to go ahead with this death-inviting illegal mining.

Some people are attempting to blame H.E. Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo that he promised not to shut down the mines as part of his campaign promises. There are replays of his voice saying that the National Democratic Congress (NDC) were up and about, saying that he was going to stop galamsey, and that he would never, ever stop that illegality. Hence, he won in droves in galamsey-addicted areas.

After getting their votes, they claim he has gone back on his word, and so they are also promising to see the back of him come 2020. The good news for the NDC here is that President Nana Akufo-Addo has relented on one campaign promise, and the better news is, that promise, if allowed to hold, will destroy our natural resources, and best news is that Nii Kwaku Ablade Okugyeaman I (the Royal Warrior), also known as Kandakai Gbogba (the good man who brings peace) and known in private life as President Nana Addo Dankw Akufo-Addo is not relenting on this campaign. With Amewu(gah) or Human Is More Precious (Than Money) leading the charge under the command of the President, all that Ghanaians need to do is to rally behind them in this campaign to see to a total halt of mining of all forms in this country.

After all the minerals do not perish, except if compared to heavenly treasures. We can leave them in the soil and wait till a better form of mining is discovered, then we go back. After all, with all our centuries of mining, what have we got to show for it? Obuasi and Johannesburg are colleagues, both are gold mining centers. Johannesburg is a first-class city in the world, while Obuasi looks like some poor but very big unkempt village. So, what are we talking for?

With all the main opposition parties, led by the NDC, supporting the President on this, it will be difficult to read politics into this murderous opposition against this policy. It is just that some people truly want to auction this nation for something small, even if it is at the cost of the innocent and law-abiding losing their lives.

Maxwell Adams Mahama (Capt.), was for peace, but they were for war. Since these people have drawn first blood, it behooves that they are met appropriately.

The only posthumous award worth giving Capt. Mahama is to make sure that all illegal mining comes to a halt. And this includes all mines, big or small.

I spied another notice from the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) on social media, which ended like this: "GAF is working closely with the police and other security agencies to unravel the full facts of the case." and this is the part I love most, "In the meantime, our troops have been urged to remain calm whilst action is being taken to bring the perpetrators of this dastardly act to book." If I were in the army, I will take this as an invitation to treat.

Rest in the peace and comfort of God your Lord dear Maxwell, and may the Lord God console beautiful Mrs. Barbara Mahama and her lovely children, so that in this traumatised moment of shock and grief, they may find comfort under the shadows of the Most High.

Meanwhile, we say continue to say No to all forms of mining, if it is going to kill us by poverty, poisoning, gunshot wounds and lynching.

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