Medical Screening: Overcrowding at Tamale Mahama Stadium causes fear among security applicants
- Allegations of overcrowding and mismanagement at a Northern medical screening centre have left several applicants frustrated, anxious, and questioning the fairness of the process
- Online criticism has grown over the medical screening, with applicants reporting long waits, uneven treatment, and growing fear as crowds continue to overwhelm the centre
- Netizens have flooded social media, sharing experiences and raising alarm over alleged mismanagement affecting applicants travelling long distances for their screening
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The ongoing medical screening for the Internal Security Service recruitment at Aliu Mahama Sports Stadium has drawn significant attention following allegations of severe overcrowding and mismanagement at the venue.
Source: UGC
In a Facebook post, concerned citizen Dora Esinam shared complaints she had received from her followers, raising fears among applicants about the process.
According to the post, the situation at the stadium appeared overwhelming, with large numbers struggling to complete the medical screening efficiently.
She wrote:
"Concern is rising over the ongoing medical screening at Aliu Mahama Sports Stadium in Tamale, where many applicants are reporting serious overcrowding. The situation appears overwhelming, with large numbers struggling to go through the process smoothly, leading to frustration and discomfort among candidates. We respectfully appeal to the appropriate authorities to urgently step in and restore order by improving crowd control, ensuring proper coordination, and creating a more conducive environment for all applicants. Prompt attention to this matter will go a long way in easing tension and ensuring a fair, safe, and efficient screening process for everyone involved."
This fear follows memories of a tragic stampede during a previous military recruitment exercise that claimed the lives of six young women and left several others injured, an incident that profoundly affected the nation.
Read the Facebook post and the interesting comments below.
Medical screening applicants allege chaos at centre
Authorities had since introduced a scheduled appointment system for applicants, which successfully reduced overcrowding, until these recent reports emerged from the Northern Region.
Applicants present at the stadium confirmed that the situation continued to deteriorate hours after Esinam’s post. Among them, Konlan Patrick described alleged preferential treatment for certain individuals:
"Dora Esinam, why are they only dealing with protocol members? Come and see the protocol line. Alhajis, imams, CEOs, ministers, and board members are on separate lines. Some people have given up and returned home after spending two days sleeping outside in mosquito-infested conditions. As a good Samaritan, I assisted one of them with GH₵60 for transport home and bought kenkey for others."
The same centre has faced further criticism from Facebook user Adam Baako, who alleged that applicants had been waiting for days just to undergo the medical screening. He wrote:
"Something serious must be done at Aliu Mahama Stadium tomorrow. The applicants are going through a lot. How can applicants from the North East, Savanna, and Northern Regions be assembled at one location, with only one medical team, to complete the screening in just one day? The Minister for the Interior must step up. Many applicants are becoming frustrated. Some officers are even extorting money from applicants under the pretext of facilitating their screening process."
Concerns were further deepened by Mumuni Roger, who allegedly accompanied his brother to the centre. He described the early morning scene and raised questions about the fairness of the process:
"In the early hours of today, at 5:30 am, I dropped off a brother who travelled all the way from the North East Region to Tamale for the security service recruitment medical screening. At that time, the stadium was already as busy as a market centre. Hundreds of Ghanaian youths were there for the screening, which cost GH₵1,400 per person. I learned that some had been waiting for three days without being attended to. There is a protocol system, which means that if you don’t know anybody, you won’t be attended to on time. We call on the Ministry of the Interior, the IGP of the Ghana Police Service, His Excellency the President, and the entire government to take action. How can they put the Savanna, North East, and Northern Regions into one centre, knowing the numbers are so large? Leaders must make the right decisions for the youth and not take things for granted. Actually, I didn’t want to speak until I saw it myself."
The allegations from several applicants and concerned citizens highlight rising frustration and fear over overcrowding and perceived preferential treatment at the Tamale screening centre, as they urge authorities to take immediate action to restore order and ensure a fair process for all.
Source: Facebook
Disqualified military applicants granted a second chance
YEN.com.gh earlier reported that applicants in the military recruitment exercise who failed their medical screening have been granted a rare opportunity to pursue their dreams of joining the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF).
According to a publication sighted on GhanaWeb, the Deputy Minister for Defence, Ernest Yaw Brogya Genfi, has announced that some applicants who were unsuccessful at the medical screening stage will be offered another opportunity.
He indicated that candidates who were disqualified at the medical screening stage due to curable conditions will be given a second chance after receiving appropriate treatment.
Source: YEN.com.gh
