Don’t re-engage sacked recruits – Nyaho tells govt

Retired Military Officer of the Ghana Army, Dr Nyaho Nyaho Tamakloe, has asked government not make the mistake of taking back into the Ghana Army, 500 recruits under training who were sacked in December 2015 after they demonstrated over their strenuous training regime.

The recruits staged an unauthorised assembly on the school square and marched to the instructor’s accommodation demanding to be sent home because they felt their training was too strenuous.

The Ghana Armed Forces found the conduct of the recruits very reprehensible hence took the decision to expel them from the training school.

A statement issued and signed Colonel E. Aggrey-Quarshie, Director of Public Relations (PR) of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF), following the incident said “the recruits’ behaviour 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.”

The would-be soldiers being home after their sack six months ago have appealed to President Mahama, former President Rawlings and the Speaker of Parliament among other statesmen to help then get re-admitted into the training school as they are sorry for their misconduct.

On Monday, they staged a peaceful demonstration near the Flagstaff House in furtherance of their petition.

But speaking to TV 3 News, Dr Nyaho Nyaho Tamakloe, who’s also a Medical Doctor said any such move by government to accept them back will have dire consequences for the security of the state.

“The ultimate punishment for what the recruits did should have been death or could be death. We have a case in our history where misfits or undisciplined youth found their way into the military and true to form have staged coups d’état to the detriment of the nation. The Military leadership must be commended for weeding out potential bad nuts. In the past misfits were enrolled into the Military based on political or ethnic grounds, that is why we must put a stop to the business of asking the President’s favour when people are removed from the military or security services on grounds of indiscipline.

“The Military service is a sacrifice, not an employment scheme. The military is a disciplinary institution that must be insulated from political inputs as much as possible; I have been part of the recruits myself in the past and I’m aware of political and ethnic influences. These boys should never be taken back into the military, if that happens that is the end of the armed forces and its reputation.”