Following the tragic stampede at Elwak Sports Stadium that claimed several lives and injured many others, Ghanaian politician Kennedy Agyapong has spoken out against the country’s soldier recruitment process.
He argued that the system is designed in a way that undermines the efforts of genuine applicants. According to him, the individuals who are ultimately recruited have already been chosen through favoritism and political connections, while the public exercise serves merely as a formality.
Agyapong suggested that the recruitment process gives the appearance of opportunity for the everyday Ghanaian, but in reality, it deceives job-seeking youth who genuinely want to serve their country. The exercise, he said, forces applicants to buy forms and participate in the process without any real chance of selection, rendering the entire system symbolic rather than substantive.
The Elwak tragedy has intensified scrutiny of the recruitment process, prompting calls for reforms to ensure transparency and fairness in the selection of new soldiers.
