Some officers of the Ghana Armed Forces
Security analyst Andrews Asiedu Tetteh has asserted that the sale of forms for the security services, particularly the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF), constitutes mass corruption.
He noted that selling recruitment forms far in excess of the number of persons to be enlisted into the GAF is tantamount to thievery.
Responding to the stampede at the El-Wak Sports Stadium—which resulted in the death of six persons and left over 20 others injured, with five currently in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) Andrews Asiedu Tetteh described the incident as unfortunate.
He attributed the tragedy to a lack of planning and gross negligence.
According to him, the GAF was fully aware of the number of applicants expected and should have secured a much larger venue for the exercise instead of the El-Wak Sports Stadium.
The analyst noted that it is regrettable that individuals seeking to serve the country through the Ghana Armed Forces had to lose their lives in such a manner. He emphasised that accountability is essential, insisting that those responsible for the tragic events must face sanctions.
Tetteh stated that although the country has witnessed poor planning and negligence in the past, this year’s recruitment exercise has exposed the severity of the issue.
“You knew you had sold forms to a large number of people, expecting about 100 participants, so why organise the exercise at a location that can only accommodate 40 people? That is a recipe for chaos and unnecessary deaths. The Accra Sports Stadium or Independence Square could have been used for this exercise. Those responsible for this mess must be held accountable,” he stressed.
The analyst also criticised the statement issued by the Ghana Armed Forces, describing it as unfortunate and inadequate, saying the GAF failed to accept responsibility.
“They knew the number of people attending the exercise, and it is a shame for President John Dramani Mahama, the Commander-in-Chief of the Ghana Armed Forces, and the military command. The incident was avoidable,” he added.
Furthermore, Tetteh stated that the conduct of the Ghana Armed Forces demonstrates a lack of concern for ordinary Ghanaians.
“If they cared about our interests, we wouldn’t be witnessing this. I believe corruption, thievery, and stealing have permeated every sector of our social and economic lives, including the Ghana Armed Forces.”
He questioned the rationale behind selling excessively high numbers of recruitment forms.
“How do you sell, for example, one million forms for just 100 available positions? This is financially motivated and constitutes massive corruption. The exercise is driven by financial gain rather than a genuine desire to recruit qualified personnel. This is unacceptable, and the Ghana Armed Forces is no longer the disciplined institution it once was,” he lamented.