The Member of Parliament for Ketu North, Edem Agbana on the floor of Parliament has called for a full-scale investigation into the circumstances surrounding this tragedy, from crowd management and planning to logistics and coordination.
The MP in a statement submitted that “we must establish accountability and ensure that the systemic failures that led to this incident are decisively addressed”, that “we cannot treat this as an isolated incident”.
According to Mr. Agbana, “if anyone slept on their job, they must be sanctioned accordingly. The findings of this investigation should guide immediate and practical reforms in the recruitment processes of our security institutions”.
He said it is time they rethink the centralized mode of conducting these recruitment exercises.
“The days of assembling thousands of young applicants in a single venue must end. We must decentralize the process and adopt a data-driven, technology-enabled system that allows applicants to be screened and processed in batches across various regions”.
This approach, he noted, will enhance transparency, efficiency, and safety, while preserving the dignity of the young people.
The MP acknowledged that this tragedy must awaken their collective conscience as a nation, “it calls for a renewed commitment to creating decent and sustainable jobs for our youth so that desperation does not push them into unsafe situations”.
“Let this not be another headline that faces away. Let it be a turning point that compels us to act responsibly, humanely, and with urgency toward our young citizens.
The report indicated that the tragic stampede that occurred earlier today at the Elwak Sports Stadium in Accra during the ongoing Ghana Armed Forces recruitment exercise, some potential recruits lost their lives, while many others sustained various degrees of injury in their attempt to go through the screening process for enlistment into the Ghana Armed Forces.
“Mr. Speaker, this incident ts a national tragedy. It is a painful reminder of the risks and desperation that many of our soung people face in search of opportunities to serve and contribute to the development of our nation. No one deserves to die in seeking an opportunity to serve the badge of this country. These were young”, the statement added.
