Honouring Our Youth: Lessons we must learn from the recent recruitment tragedy

Ghana has been shaken by the tragic loss of the young men and women who passed away during the recent recruitment process of the Ghana Armed Forces. These were energetic, patriotic citizens whose only aspiration was to serve their country. Their deaths have touched every corner of our nation.

In moments like this, we must mourn deeply—but we must also reflect.

Our Armed Forces remain one of the most respected institutions in Ghana, known for discipline, professionalism, and commitment. Yet, this tragedy reminds us that even our strongest institutions must continuously improve their systems to safeguard the lives of the very people who seek to serve them.

The overwhelming turnout during the recruitment highlights the growing desire of young Ghanaians for stable, meaningful employment. It also reveals the need for enhanced crowd management, more robust safety protocols, and stronger emergency response arrangements during national-level exercises.

This is not a moment to apportion blame, but a moment to learn.

Not a moment to attack institutions, but a moment to strengthen them.

Not a moment to dwell on failure, but a moment to ensure such a tragedy never happens again.

I urge the Ghana Armed Forces, relevant ministries, and stakeholders to review the recruitment process and identify opportunities for improvement—whether through phased screening, increased medical presence, or modernized crowd-control strategies. These measures will honour the memory of those we lost and help protect future applicants.

Our youth are our nation’s greatest asset. Their safety, dignity, and aspirations must always guide our decisions.

Let us stand together in grief, compassion, and commitment to doing better as a country.

Stephen Kofi Baidoo

2024 Parliamentary Candidate, NDC – Assin South