Ghana is considered as one of the safest countries in Africa but the recent surge in Kidnappings is causing anxiety among Ghanaians and this menace is gradually becoming a feature of the society. The abduction of the Takoradi three girls raised alarm about the creeping menace as well as the deficiencies within our security architecture and miscommunications around incidents like this. Kidnapping for ransom started long ago around 1870s or earlier than that.
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The phenomenon has its concomitant effect that could cascade across the sub-region. Already, it is seen as a crisis In African most populous Nation(Nigeria). The problem of kidnapping has a myriad of causes and thus cannot be tackled without knowing the root cause of it. Among the leading cause of Knapping is Unemployment and Political Issues.
Unemployment
Many a time, the high rate of unemployment forces the youth to abduct people and request money from either their family of the State before such a person is released. The high unemployment rate is a national security threats that need to be looked at as matter of urgency. In Nigeria, the situation is so dire to the extent that the government has released the Army to combat it like Boko Haram. There's no doubt that it festers and thrives among places where there's high unemployment. Again, another fertile ground for the breeding of Kidnapping are cities with high income and social disparity.
Corruption
This like unemployment feeds to the perception of the youth that the few that are living well are stealing their wealth and as such mobilize to retaliate in the form of abducting those they perceive as looting their wealth. Any society where corruption is the status-quo is likely to suffer its ripple effect in the form of kidnapping. It is no wonder that kidnaping has become more systemic in Nigeria than Ghana. Kidnappers sometimes feels then need to indulge in this criminal act because it is the only process to get their looted money back.
Religion and Politics
Some kidnapping activities has its roots in religion and politics. In the case of Nigeria, there's no evidence that the kidnappers are linked to Boko Haram yet, there are instances people have been kidnapped due to religious and ideological differences. Ghana is lucky because of how it manages its religious and political differences. However, the same cannot be said about corruption and unemployment which is among the lexicon in public discourse.
Going Forward
The government as a matter of urgency should start a radical policy that seeks to give sustainable jobs to the teaming unemployed youth. The culture of religious bigotry and cultural ethnocentrism should be looked at particularly by political leaders and opinion leaders. Government should equip the security to be ready in terms of intelligence gathering and other resources that would be essential in combating this creeping canker.
Ghanaians should be sensitize on what to do when one feels he/she is a target to be abducted. Families and victims should be taken care of with regards to psychological trauma, depression, anxiety and other mental related issues. Information about kidnapping should be made available to kids especially school children on what to do when one sense danger. They are the most vulnerable to this miscreants and as such, all measure must be put in-place to protect them.
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