Former Deputy Defence Minister Blames Potential Recruits for El-Wak Stampede, Peeps React to Video
- A former Deputy Defence Minister is trending after sharing his views on the El-Wak Stadium stampede in Accra
- This comes after he blamed the potential recruits following the stampede that occurred during the military recruitment exercise
- Netizens who reacted to the video shared their views on the concerns and advice shared online by the former Deputy Minister
Major Derrick Oduro (Rtd), a former Deputy Defence Minister, has stirred controversy in the wake of his commentary surrounding the stampede at the El-Wak Stadium on Wednesday, November 12.
Speaking in an interview with Sompa FM in Accra, Major Derrick Oduro (Rtd) said that the tragic incident that claimed the lives of six individuals during the military recruitment exercise should be blamed on the potential recruits.
Source: UGC
Buttressing his point, he stated that the potential recruits misconducted themselves at the event grounds, leading to the unfortunate incident.
"This has not happened before. Blame should be put on the potential recruits who were not patient, leading to the struggle. If they knew they would have misconducted themselves, there would have been enough military presence at the place."
"Every year, there are a few military police personnel at the grounds to ensure orderliness, and nothing of this sort had happened. So why now? Why are people struggling, thinking they’ll get the chance to enter and then may get the opportunity they seek? That mentality some people had is what has caused this, so we blame the potential recruits."
Offering remedial solutions, he called for screening of potential recruits into the Ghana Armed Forces to be done in batches to avoid such unfortunate occurrences going forward.
El Wak stampede victims urged to sue the state
Ghanaian social media personality Naana Donkor Arthur, popularly known as NDA on her part has called for the families of the affected victims of the stampede to sue the state.
Source: Facebook
In a video sighted by YEN.com.gh on her TikTok page, the outspoken social media personality opined that the unfortunate loss of lives should be blamed on the negligence of the state.
She questioned why a huge number of people would be asked to mass up at the venue, all in the name of a recruitment exercise.
Source: UGC
Six lives lost in El-Wak Stadium stampede
The government has informed the families of the affected El-Wak stampede victims.
Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, the Acting Minister of Defence, in a statement on the tragic incident, confirmed that five others were in critical condition at the ICU, 12 were in fairly critical condition, and the rest were stable.
El Wak stampede should be properly Investigated
Security expert Yakub Alfa Suleiman, the founder of the Journalists Network for Peace and Security (JNePS), in a comment to YEN.com.gh, commended the government's decision to halt the recruitment exercise and ensure that things are properly done.
"The president's decision to halt the program is seen as a positive step, providing an opportunity for a thorough investigation and assessment of what caused the tragedy and what corrective actions need to be taken."
At the time of writing this report, the post had raked in over 200 likes and comments.
Watch the TikTok video below:
Reactions to Major Oduro's comments on El-Wak stampede
Ghanaians who took to social media shared their views on the statement made by Major Derrick Oduro.
balthasar097 stated:
"If not for unemployment, a soldier's job would be a good one."
george reacted:
"The fault is with the military. Military Police should have been made to control the recruitment. The blame should be given to the military instead."
nicholaskofintim commented:
"Massa, they didn’t manage the situation well… they should have given them various days for the exercise."
GAF recruitment exercise suspended
Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that the Ghana Armed Forces had suspended its recruitment activities.
This comes after President John Mahama called for an investigation into the tragedy that had claimed six lives.
Source: YEN.com.gh
