Senior military officers who supervised the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) recruitment exercise at El-Wak Sports Stadium have been asked to step aside to allow investigations into the tragic stampede that claimed six lives and left several others injured.
JoyNews sources within the military have confirmed that new commanders have been appointed to oversee the recruitment process once it resumes, as part of measures to ensure transparency and uphold the integrity of the ongoing probe.
Background
The incident occurred on Wednesday, November 12, during a GAF recruitment screening at the El-Wak Sports Stadium in Accra. Thousands of hopeful applicants, some travelling from across the country, arrived at dawn, well before the scheduled start of the exercise.
A sudden surge at one of the entry gates triggered a stampede, resulting in the deaths of six young women and injuries to several others. The wounded were rushed to the 37 Military Hospital and nearby facilities for emergency care.
Immediate Response and Suspension of Recruitment
Following the tragedy, 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 stampede.
President John Dramani Mahama has also directed that the nationwide recruitment exercise be put on hold pending the outcome of the investigations. The Board is tasked with reviewing crowd-control measures, the conduct of officers on duty, and the overall safety protocols during the exercise.
A similar stampede reportedly occurred at the Babayara Stadium in Kumasi, where the exercise also took place. While no deaths were recorded, nearly 20 people were injured.
Wider Lessons and Public Reaction
Security analysts and governance experts have long cautioned about the risks of overcrowding at single recruitment centres. They have called for decentralised recruitment, strict batch scheduling, and improved crowd-management systems.
Families of the victims, civil society groups, and community leaders have demanded accountability, insisting that lessons must be learned to prevent future tragedies. Religious and local leaders have also urged compassion and support for 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. Its findings are expected to guide major reforms in the planning and execution of national recruitment exercises.
For now, recruitment in Accra remains suspended until the Armed Forces complete their internal review and release the Board’s report.
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