The Trades Union Congress (TUC) has extended its heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) recruitment tragedy and wishes a swift and full recovery to those who sustained injuries.
A statement issued by the Secretary-General of the TUC, Joshua Ansah, said it had learned with deep sorrow and concern of the tragic incident that occurred during the Ghana Armed Forces recruitment exercise at the El-Wak Sports Stadium in Accra, which resulted in the untimely death of six young women and left several others injured.
“This unfortunate incident is a stark reminder of the growing desperation among Ghana’s youth in their pursuit of employment and the urgent need to ensure that recruitment processes, especially those conducted by public institutions, are carried out in a safe, dignified, and transparent manner,” the statement said.
“The heartbreaking incident is a painful reminder of the urgent need to address the growing youth unemployment crisis and the desperate conditions that compel our young women and men to endure unsafe and dehumanizing recruitment processes in their quest for decent work.”
The statement said TUC calls on the government, the Ministry of Defence and relevant authorities to conduct a comprehensive and transparent investigation into the causes of this tragic incident.
It also urged them to ensure accountability and appropriate measures to prevent such occurrences in the future.
To review recruitment and selection procedures within the security services to guarantee safety, order, and fairness for all applicants and to intensify efforts to tackle youth unemployment, with particular attention to young women, through sustainable job creation, vocational training, and empowerment programmes.
“We stand in solidarity with the affected families and young people of Ghana during these difficult times,” the statement said.