In the general news on the December 26, 2015, the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) confirmed the dismissal of army recruits who were undergoing training at the army recruits training school in Shai hills.

In a statement issued and signed by Colonel E. Aggrey-Quarshie, Director of Public Relations (PR) of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF), He stated that the recruits’ behavior are far-reaching and inimical to the security of the State as they without due authorization dressed up in their outing attire (black trousers and white shirt) staged an unauthorized assembly on the School square and later marched to the instructors accommodation to be sent home because the training was strenuous, a situation the recruits considered as maltreatment. (http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/Ghana-Armed-Forces-confirm-dismissal-of-500-recruits-403380)

This news came as a shocker to the recruits due to what one may describe as a stab in the back. 498 army recruits were assembled at a parade on the 23rd December 2015 at the Awortwe square in Shai hills at about 06:00 hours to be addressed by the ATRAC Commander. In his address, the ATRAC Commander said, “My instructors here are going for Christmas break and you all know what happened on the 3rd December, so we’re also breaking you, investigations are still in progress so when we are done, we will call you back. When you get home, don’t mingle yourselves in any dubious activities; (fighting, drinking and others) and train hard but do not sleep”. Some instructors also expressed that this was a great opportunity for those with wounds and other medical problems to heal well so they could enjoy and endure the training upon return. Only to be hit with news on various media outlets that 501 army recruits have been sacked from shai hills.

Many people have reacted in several ways since the break of the news. Some, including lawyers and Parliamentarians have even asked that the said recruits should be brought before the law and prosecuted for wasting national resources. However, has anyone actually wondered why a person in his right state of mind would subject himself to a whole year of enlistment process and expenses, two (2) months of standard military training with all that goes into it that certainly most civilians are clueless about and then wake up one morning and say “I want to go home”?

It is on record and it is in Ghana army history that, in every batch of recruits trained at the army recruit training school, those who lose interest upon arrival, those who are not medically, morally, psychologically, physical and even academically fit to be there only last for a maximum of two (2) weeks at shai hills (usually by running away, termed as AWOL i.e. absent without official leave). After 21 day on ground at shai hills, you are considered as good as a soldier. Why then will the Ghana armed forces want the good people of Ghana to believe that all these “501 MEN” demanded to be sent home after two (2) good months of PHYSICAL, MENTAL, STRATEGIC, INTELLIGENCE, WEAPONS etc training.

It will interest the good people of Ghana to know that, as at the 23rd December 2015 when the recruits were sent on a Christmas break, one (1) had lost his mind, eight (8) had run away (AWOL), eleven (11) were brutally injured and were in P.O.P and with crutches issued to them at the 37 military hospital and one (1) was still on admission at the 37 military hospital undergoing treatment for a broken leg. The remaining 498 were either having a swollen feet or some sort of injury. However these recruits were so determined to train to defend our mother Ghana.

“The disparities in the figures is because within the first two (2) weeks, those who run away were replaced by people who had passed the enlistment process but couldn’t make the final list and were on standby.”

I believe the young men who have giving up everything to join the Ghana army because of the love they have for mother Ghana, their immediate and extended families and the great people of our mother Ghana deserve better from the Ghana armed forces than to be treated like “African Americans in the USA in 1960” without rights nor voice. Ghana belongs to all of us, and the peace and sanity we enjoy is what we value most. If they are 501 and are two (2) months trained real army recruits, and they feel betrayed, disappointed, dishonored, and destroyed by the country they gave up everything to serve, then May God help us all.
What really happened?

1. The senior recruit is superior to all recruits, and per military code of conducts, all his orders are to be carried out without fail. He has the authority to charge, drill, or “dawn” any recruits for refusal to comply.

2. There’s a principle in the military which says "OBEY BEFORE COMPLAIN". This simply means no asking of questions. Your responsibility is to obey whatever you're told to do by a superior before giving any complains.

3. Soldiers are taught not to betray colleagues when they do something wrong at the training school. This is to enable them resist the temptation of betraying fellow soldiers when captured on the battle field by the enemy, regardless of the amount of torture or punishment he faces.

At the dawn of 3rd December 2015, the senior recruit shouted a “fall in” command and ordered the recruits present to double to the square in their black and white outfit. Upon arrival at the square, the senior recruits walked to the instructor’s apartment which is just opposite the square to speak with the CSMs (the instructors in charge of the various companies) A little while afterwards, the CSMs walked to the square and asked the recruits present, “you people say you want to go home”? The picture of surprise that was painted on the faces of the recruits can’t be expressed with words. They all shouted in response, “no Sir”. In fear and panic of not knowing what might happen next, the recruit run back to their dormitory.

The morning after (3rd December 2015) became a red letter day for all the recruits who were undergoing training at shai hills. The commanding officer, together with the entire senior and junior officer present at the camp assembled all the recruits at the square. The Commanding officer asked the question “I head you people came to the square this dawn to say you want to go home right?

Anyone who wants to go home should come forward now” Not a single soul opted out to go home. An order was given for the entire recruit to be severely doubled and drilled by the instructors for their act that dawn. And clearly this was on the senior recruits. All the recruits were seriously dealt with and even made to weed for the rest of the day while they were denied their meals for the rest of the day.

The next morning, the 4th December 2015, a general assembly was convened and the ATRAC Commander, a Brigadier General came in to address the matter. He asked if it were true that the recruits wanted to go home, and they shouted a bigger NO SIR. He then called the senior recruit and asked him what happened. The boy said, “Some of the recruit came to me saying they want to go home, so I told them to wait so I can discuss with the CSMs to help discourage them from going”. The Commander then asked him to point out those recruits; however he claimed he couldn’t identify them.

The ATRAC Commander condemned the act and warned that it shouldn’t be repeated.

He explained the magnitude of such actions under the military laws and encouraged that latter in the training, the various military laws would be thought so that in future such ignorance will be prevented. He further encouraged the recruits to tune their minds for the training so that they can finish well. He welcomed moral songs and anthems from the recruits and edged them to submit to authority, commit to train in order to become the fine soldiers the country need. The recruits were dismissed to their dormitories, however their meals were again denied for the rest of the day.

It was latter communicated that training has been halted pending an investigation by a board of enquiry from the army head quarters. Some recruits, especially the senior man and other senior men from the various companies took turns with the team of investigators at the school’s head quarters. Up until the 22nd December 2015 when the recruits were paid their allowances and asked to fall in on the square the next morning (23rd December 2015) to meet the ATRAC Commander. And that was when he sent the recruits home for a Christmas break.

i. Is the army justified to take the decision they have taken?

ii. Is it fair to the young men that their future be pushed like this?

iii. Do they have a voice and can they speak?

iv. Who will listen then, and who is willing to help?

v. Are their rights to employment, to fair hearing, to justice etc not been taken from them?

vi. One of these recruit may be your son, brother, friend, school mate, future in-law, church member etc, in fact each of the recruits is a Ghanaian.

The recruits are ready to tell their story, they want to go back to finish their training so they can serve and defend this great nation. People of Ghana should please hear them out and help them get justice, foe Ghanaians.