The military cannot be a welfare package – Oliver Barker-Vormawor rejects recruitment proposals
Activist and constitutional lawyer Oliver Barker-Vormawor has rejected calls for families affected by the El Wak military recruitment tragedy to be given automatic slots in the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF), arguing that such proposals contradict the Constitution and undermine national security standards.
In a public statement, he said the calls, though well-intentioned, raise clear constitutional concerns.
“Our Constitution is built on the idea that public institutions serve the collective. Recruitment into the Armed Forces is not a memorial gift nor a welfare package,” he said.
He emphasised that the Armed Forces must operate strictly on competence and training standards.
“To convert vacancies in the Armed Forces into compensation slots is to misunderstand what the security services exist for,” he stated.
According to him, granting enlistment to bereaved families constitutes an arbitrary preference. “Article 296 requires that discretionary power be exercised fairly, reasonably, and without bias,” he argued, adding that “creating an automatic path to enlistment for one group introduces a preference that cannot be defended under the principles of equality before the law.”
Barker-Vormawor further warned that institutional integrity would be compromised if recruitment becomes a form of reparations.
“Every slot filled on grounds other than competence reduces the operational integrity of the Forces. The military is the one institution that cannot afford sentimental policymaking,” he said.
He noted that honouring the victims must not involve violating constitutional safeguards. “Let our response to tragedy strengthen the Republic, not bend its institutions,” he added.
