The Deputy Defence Minister, Hon. Ernest Brogya Genfi, spent a busy morning hopping between the region’s busiest recruitment hubs, checking that the Ghana Armed Forces’ new safety and transparency measures are really working.
After the tragic El‑Wak stampede on 12 November, the ministry halted the drive, overhauled the screening system and, on 20 November, reopened the doors at four major centres: El‑Wak Stadium, Nicholson Stadium, the Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) in Teshie, and the Air Force Base at Burma Camp.
At each stop, Genfi walked the queues, chatted with nervous applicants and listened to the officers running the biometric checks and document verification. “We want a process that is safe, credible and merit‑based,” he told a group of hopeful recruits at El‑Wak, where chairs have now been placed along the lanes to prevent overcrowding .¹ ²
The minister praised the quick rollout of reforms—such as the new batch‑size limit of 600 candidates per session and the extra sub‑centres—designed to avoid a repeat of the earlier tragedy.
The tour wasn’t just about paperwork. Later that day, Genfi joined service personnel at Burma Camp for the 2025 Armed Forces and Security Services Day of Prayer. Sitting alongside the Chief of Defence Staff, Lt. Gen. William Agyapong, and members of the parliamentary Defence and Interior Committee, he reminded everyone that “the strength of our forces lies in the unity and professionalism we bring to the nation” .³ ⁴ The prayer service, a tradition that seeks divine guidance and strength, underscored the government’s commitment to rebuilding public trust after recent challenges. It
Genfi’s message was clear: the recruitment drive, now resumed with tighter controls and more centres, will continue to be transparent, fair and safe. “We are building a force that reflects the discipline and unity of Ghana,” he said, urging all stakeholders—from senior officers to the applicants themselves—to uphold the highest standards of conduct throughout the process .⁵
With the new measures in place and the minister’s visible presence on the ground, the Ghana Armed Forces are moving forward, hopeful that the next batch of recruits will join a safer, more accountable institution.
