President John Dramani Mahama has ordered an immediate but temporal suspension of the Ghana Armed Forces’ ongoing nationwide recruitment exercise following reports of injuries and deaths at centres in Accra and Kumasi.
The directive comes in the wake of chaotic scenes at recruitment centres where eager applicants triggered stampedes, resulting in casualties.
Speaking at the launch of the Nkoko Nkitinkiti programme in the Ashanti Region, President Mahama described the incidents as “deeply regrettable” and emphasised the need for urgent reforms.
“I have asked the leadership of the Armed Forces to temporarily halt the recruitment exercise and conduct a full investigation. We must take a fresh approach to ensure such unfortunate incidents do not happen again,” he stated.
The temporary suspension, according to the President, will allow authorities to review safety protocols and implement measures to guarantee controlled and secure recruitment processes in the future.
Meanwhile, Acting Minister for Defence, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson briefing the House on the incident earlier, announced that GAF has instituted an internal board of enquiry to probe the causes of the incident.