It Is Time for Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) to Embrace Technology in Its Recruitment Process
The tragic loss of lives at the El Wak Sports Stadium during the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) recruitment exercise is a national heartbreak. My deepest condolences go to the families who lost their loved ones and to those recovering from injuries. No recruitment process should ever cost a life. This moment should unite us in grief and also in determination to ensure such a tragedy never happens again.
Technology Is the New Standard
The El Wak incident has exposed how outdated systems can turn opportunity into tragedy. The loss of lives that occurred during what should have been a routine process calls for deep reflection and immediate reform. It is time for GAF to embrace technology as the foundation of a safer and more efficient recruitment process. Modern militaries around the world use technology to simplify recruitment, improve accuracy, and protect lives. Ghana cannot continue to rely on crowd-based manual systems when digital tools can handle the entire process from registration to shortlisting. Online portals, database verification, and virtual notifications can prevent the chaos that comes with mass gatherings. Technology must now become the standard, not the exception.
Data-Driven Systems Can Prevent Overcrowding
A smart recruitment platform can manage crowd flow by assigning applicants specific time slots and venues. Once an applicant registers online, the system can automatically allocate a schedule based on available capacity. This prevents congestion at a single location and allows security officers to control the number of people arriving at any given time. Such systems are already in use in several African countries, and Ghana can easily adopt them.
Virtual Screening and Prequalification
Online screening and prequalification can significantly reduce the number of people who show up for physical verification. Applicants can upload their documents for review and take aptitude tests remotely. Advanced verification tools can detect fake certificates or incomplete applications before any candidate is invited to a physical venue. This approach saves time, reduces cost, and ensures that only qualified candidates appear for final screening.
Improved Safety and Accountability
A digital process enhances safety and accountability. Automated check-ins, biometric verification, and QR-based access control can replace paper-based systems that are prone to errors and manipulation. Every applicant’s progress can be tracked in real time, ensuring transparency and protecting the integrity of the process.
Restoring Public Confidence
When recruitment is handled with efficiency and fairness, public confidence naturally grows. Technology ensures that selection is based on merit rather than chance. Applicants will know their efforts are evaluated fairly, and GAF’s reputation as a disciplined institution will be further strengthened.
Ghana Has the Capacity to Build This
Ghana’s growing digital ecosystem provides the perfect foundation for such reform. With agencies like NITA, GIFEC and the National Identification Authority already supporting national digitalization, GAF can easily collaborate with local tech firms to design a secure and scalable system. The tools, knowledge and expertise are already here.
Conclusion
The tragedy at El Wak should be the last of its kind. GAF has always stood for excellence, discipline and innovation.
To protect lives and uphold those values, modernization is no longer a choice but a duty.
By integrating technology into its recruitment process, GAF can prevent future loss of life, improve efficiency, and set a new national standard for public sector operations.
Vincent Owusu Amponsah
IT Professional and Digital Transformation Advocate
