“Shame on those hearts of stone, that cannot melt in soft adoption of another’s sorrow” – A. Hill.
Yah, GHONE reported it like this:
“28 casualties, 12 critical cases, 5 in ICU and 6 dead” – Wao!!!
Class FM at 5pm on Wednesday, 12th November, placed the total number of affected would-be recruits at 51.
l am short and lost for words. 21st century ‘paa’ and potential recruits are dying in their bid to go through a recruitment processes.
Hmmm, in our first year at the University, at Management lecture, we were hinted of queuing theory – that was its theory. Fast forward in the second year, queuing theory again reared its ugly head in quantitative methods.
Oh yes, there are mathematical models to solve such problems. It is a matter of keying in the variables – expectant figures, how long you want each through the process, the number of processes etc. into a formula and you are there with the number of attendants, exits, entrances, days etc. to contain a situation such as the above.
This has even been enhanced lately with the emergence of AI, but no, because of greed, ‘noko fio’, and what l term ‘Ghanafo’, oh yes, we lose all senses when we see a crowd we are to serve. In the transport industry, drivers will be clamouring for passengers, but the day they see passengers lined up awaiting their services, they adopt a show off attitude via varied and various excuses leaving the passengers stranded. That exactly fits the actions and inaction of the Military High Command, oh yes, they take ultimate and absolute responsibility.
All the above aside, COMMON SENSE, should have pricked the conscience of whoever was charged with this exercise, that the numbers was huge and they ought to change their regimental strategy, but that was not to be, accounting for attributing this failure and tragedy to lack of COMMON SENSE. The sheer numbers at the precinct as at 5am was enough trigger knowingly knowing all cannot be attended to on the Wednesday.
Kindly permit me to pose this question – what is the likely effect of congregating such a huge number of teens at a designated place – stampede, abi.
EL -WAK STADIUM
Not quite long, there was news all over of how that facility had deteriorated and the reluctance of the Army to open up when contacted by the media for their version of the story.
l was thus pleasantly surprised that this deteriorated facility was the host of such an important national exercise. No further comments, least, l touch town.
NO POLITICS
I have listened to social commentators including the take of the Youth Organizer of the opposition NPP playing the blame game. l need hardly state here that, l am constrained and restrained from going “apolitical”, more so when human lives is the nerve of the equation.
Notwithstanding, l wish to state here that with the churning out of thousands of SHS graduates without any form of employable skills, such numbers were expected and to twist it that NPP did or could have done better is not only below the belt but plain disingenuous.
We were in this country when MPs in the then ruling government went berserk on radio stations, openly touting and boosting of the number of recruits they have “twisted” to have same recruited into the security services as if non NPP members were not Ghanaians and, again, deserved not to be in the security apparatuses – one wonders if the MPs were recruitment officers.
Perhaps, the sin(s) of NDC was making the exercise very transparent this time but, and l repeat, but, it does not take the shine off of they ensuring that the potential recruits safety was guaranteed and must take the blame.
COMMITTEE
As posited by C. F. Kettering, “If you want to kill any idea in the world, get a committee working on it”. Yah, heard that the exercise has been suspended indefinitely whilst a Board of Inquiry or whatever, is put up to DO WHAT?
The answers thereto are clearly written on the four walls of El -Wak Stadium – failure and lack of common sense of the part of the Human Resources Unit of the Ghana Army headed by the Chief of Staff (CDS) to think through and outside the box, leading to this catastrophe, PERIOD.
Their reactionary, rather than proactive traits were at its best on this occasion.
Bet me, it will be the usual findings will be the absorption by the State of the burial/funeral expenses and a token and the matter ends.
We all are privy to the outcome of the May 9, 2001 Ohene Djan stadium disaster where some of the best brains in the legal fraternity were employed to play with words and technicalities, which virtually ensured that no soul was found culpable.
Bet me, no one will be held to account or culpable. “Ehuru a, ɛbɛ dwo” and “Fama Nyame” dichotomies will come to play and take over after a few weeks and life continues.
My heart goes to the families of the deceased persons, learnt they are all females – sad. Pray the Almighty God comforts, guide and guard them in this very trying times – l just cannot imagine wearing their shoes.
TESTING THE LAW
l urge the affected and infested families to throw the “Fama Nyame” and “It’s God Who Gives And Takes” dichotomies to the bin and test the law. Yah, institute legal action against the Military High Command and the Attorney General for their loss. l believe it will send the right signal to institutions to ‘behave themselves’ in future. Even if they don’t succeed, which l am very doubtful judging from the circumstances, such action will send the right signals to institutions to sit up in the immediate and remote future.
In this vein, l will make a passionate appeal to Ghana Bar Association Women’s Forum, International Federation of Women Lawyers and Africa Women Lawyers Association, Ghana, among others, to spearhead this noble cause.
Instances abound, Awuni v WAEC being a typical example where the law was put to test.
In fact and indeed, this tragedy defies the Akan adage that reads, “Adeɛkye na sɛ y’annte asɛm foforɔ a, y’ɛkyi” but this One de3, in my candid opinion, “Aboro So” – too much to bear.
What an UNEVEN WORLD !!!
l rest my Fractured Peace.
Written by Osei Kwabena Esq., Etia Street, Asante Effiduase
