Senior officers who oversaw the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) recruitment exercise at El-Wak Sports Stadium have been directed to step down to allow for a thorough investigation into the tragic stampede that claimed six lives and injured many others. According to JoyNews sources within the military, fresh leadership has been appointed to manage the recruitment process when it resumes, in a bid to uphold transparency and safeguard the credibility of the inquiry.
Background
On Wednesday, November 12, a tragic incident unfolded during a Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) recruitment screening at El-Wak Sports Stadium in Accra. Thousands of eager applicants—many having journeyed from various parts of the country—began gathering at the venue as early as dawn, well ahead of the scheduled start time.
A sudden rush at one of the entrance gates triggered a stampede, resulting in the deaths of six young women and injuries to several others. The injured were swiftly transported to the 37 Military Hospital and nearby medical centers for urgent treatment.
Immediate response and suspension of recruitment
In response, the Ghana Armed Forces announced the suspension of recruitment activities in the Greater Accra Region and constituted a Board of Inquiry to investigate the circumstances leading to the tragedy.
President John Dramani Mahama has also directed that the nationwide recruitment exercise be suspended pending the outcome of the investigations. The Board is expected to examine crowd control measures, the conduct of officers on duty, and overall safety protocols during the exercise.
Meanwhile, there was a similar stampede at the Babayara Stadium in Kumasi, where the exercise also took place. Although no death was recorded, nearly twenty people were injured.
Wider lessons and public reaction
Security analysts and governance experts have long warned about the dangers of overcrowding at single recruitment centres. They have urged the Armed Forces and other security agencies to decentralise their recruitment processes, adopt strict batch scheduling, and enhance crowd-control systems.
Families of the victims and several civil society groups have called for accountability, insisting that lessons must be learned to prevent such tragedies in future. Religious and community leaders have also expressed grief and called for compassion toward the affected families.
The Board of Inquiry will review the full sequence of events, assess the adequacy of safety protocols, and determine any administrative or criminal lapses that contributed to the stampede.
The outcome is expected to guide major reforms in how national recruitment exercises are planned and executed. For now, the suspension of recruitment in Accra remains in place until the Armed Forces complete their internal review and release the Board’s findings.
Source: Myjoyonline
