Pusiga MP’s assertion that six young women killed in a military recruitment stampede died because God ordained it has drawn sharp criticism from a former government minister, who called the remarks “distasteful” and an obstacle to preventing future tragedies.
“If our leaders think like this, how can we fix the serious problems that lead to unnecessary deaths, injuries and suffering?” wrote Tangoba Abayage, a former Upper East Regional Minister, in a Facebook post responding to comments by MP Laadi Ayii Ayamba. “Six young girls tragically die under circumstances that could have been prevented, and this is your response?”
The controversy erupted after Ayamba told Ghana’s Parliament on Wednesday that the deaths at El-Wak Sports Stadium in Accra could not have been prevented. “There is nothing that happens that doesn’t happen at the right time. This is what the almighty Allah has ordained for them,” the Pusiga MP said. “Today is their day. No matter how, no matter what, no matter who was there… once today is ordained for them to die, they will.”
Ms. Abayage, expressing visible distress in her post, added: “You dare bring God into this mess?” and criticized the lawmaker’s demeanor during her remarks.
The stampede occurred Wednesday morning when thousands of job seekers rushed the gates at the stadium ahead of a scheduled screening for the Ghana Armed Forces’ 2025/2026 recruitment exercise. President John Dramani Mahama confirmed that all six victims were female and suspended the recruitment process in Accra pending an investigation.
Ms. Ayamba had urged Parliament not to view the tragedy through a political lens and suggested decentralizing future recruitment exercises. “It is not anybody who wanted them to die,” she said. “There is no single officer there who wanted even one single soul to pass.”
But Ms. Abayage’s response reflects growing frustration among some officials and citizens over what they see as a fatalistic approach to preventable disasters. Security analysts have blamed poor planning and inadequate crowd control measures for the stampede.
The Ghana Armed Forces said the incident was triggered by an unexpected surge of applicants at approximately 6:20 a.m. At least 12 others were injured and taken to 37 Military Hospital for treatment.
Source: a1radioonline.com|101.1Mhz|Mark Kwasi Ahumah Smith|Bolgatanga
