Acting Defence Minister vows thorough probe into GAF recruitment stampede

The Acting Minister for Defence, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, has assured Parliament that the tragic stampede which occurred during the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) recruitment exercise will be thoroughly investigated.

The incident, which occurred at the El-Wak Sports Stadium, claimed the lives of six people and left several others injured.

Addressing Parliament on Wednesday, Dr Forson expressed regret over the tragedy and provided a detailed account of the casualties.

“I regret to report that there were 34 persons who were direct casualties, some of whom are potential recruits and others, unfortunately, are not related to the enlistment at all,” he said.

He disclosed that out of the 34 casualties, six people had been confirmed dead, while several others were still receiving treatment.

“Out of these 34 casualties, six persons have been confirmed dead. Five are critical, and as we speak, they are in the ICU. 12 are fairly critical, and the rest are stable and under observation.”

The Minister also revealed that there had been an unrelated incident at the Kumasi in the Ashanti Region recruitment centre involving one person who was hospitalised.

“Additionally, there is a reported case of one person hospitalised at the Kumasi Recruitment Centre, though that incident is unrelated to the stampede in Accra.”

Following the tragedy, Dr Forson said the Defence Ministry had suspended the recruitment process in Accra until further notice.

“In light of this development, the Ministry of Defence has halted the recruitment process in Accra until further notice. I wish to assure Honourable Members that in all other regions, the exercise is progressing smoothly and without incident.”

He extended the Ministry’s condolences to the bereaved families and assured Parliament that measures were being taken to support those injured and to determine the cause of the incident.

“The Ministry of Defence deeply mourns the loss of life and extends condolences to the affected families. We are working closely with the Ghana Armed Forces, medical teams, and law enforcement agencies to provide full support to the injured and to investigate the circumstances that led to this tragedy.”

Dr Forson further confirmed that the Ghana Armed Forces had set up a special internal board of inquiry to probe the incident and make recommendations.

“The Ghana Armed Forces has instituted an internal board of inquiry to investigate the causes of this unfortunate incident. The safety and dignity of applicants remain paramount, and the Ministry will take every step necessary to prevent a recurrence.”

Meanwhile, the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, has joined calls for the President to appoint a substantive Minister for Defence, citing the pressures on the acting minister and the need for continuity in leadership.

He described the tragedy as an opportunity for national reflection on the entire recruitment process within the public service.

“This is an opportunity for us to rethink the whole process of enlistment, recruitment, and employment in the public service. We have a serious challenge, and we have to confront it head-on,” he said.

He praised the military for their dedication and sacrifice and urged Parliament’s Defence and Interior Committee to follow up on the investigation process.

“This is an institution that we all revere. It’s because of them that we are all protected. You know what they do, they decide not to sleep like the police, so that we can sleep. It’s not an easy job.”

He also encouraged the government to consider adopting a more continuous and decentralised approach to recruitment to avoid overcrowding and similar tragedies in the future.

“Even though some measures have been taken, I will direct our committee to follow up on the process. We must also expedite the appointment of a substantive minister. It’s not because the current acting minister is not capable, but we know the pressures on him.

“What prevents this country from having a continuous recruitment process? We don’t have to wait and do it once every year or two, causing people to rush and overcrowd recruitment centres.”

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