THE Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) has confirmed six people dead from Wednesday’s stampede during its recruitment exercise at the El-Wak Sports Stadium in Accra.
The incident occurred around 6:20 a.m. when thousands of young Ghanaians gathered at the stadium in a desperate attempt to enlist in the Ghana Armed Forces. The massive crowd triggered chaos, leading to multiple fatalities and injuries while attempting to gain entry into the stadium.
Security personnel were said to have quickly cordoned off the area, while the military blocked all major roads leading to the stadium to maintain order and enable rescue efforts.
The GAF provided the update when President John Mahama visited the 37 Military Hospital in the country’s capital to obtain information regarding the stampede.
The GAF explained that 28 applicants were transported to the 37 Military Hospital for emergency treatment, noting that out of the number, six people were confirmed dead, five were receiving treatment in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), while 12 others remained in critical condition.
While the identities of the deceased have yet to be disclosed, media reports indicate that most of the victims were women.
The Chief of Staff, Julius Debrah, the acting Defence Minister, Cassiel Ato Forson, and other government officials accompanied Mahama.
While assuring the public that necessary measures were being taken to prevent a recurrence, the GAF expressed condolences to the families of those who lost their lives and wished the injured a swift recovery.
The tragedy occurred during an extended recruitment period announced by the Ghana Armed Forces, initially set to end on October 31, 2025.
It was extended by one week due to technical issues with the recruitment portal.
The ICIR reports that the incident followed a similar tragedy in Nigeria in 2014 when the Nigeria Immigration Service’s recruitment resulted in fatalities in Abuja following a deadly stampede.
Nanji is an investigative journalist with the ICIR. She has years of experience in reporting and broadcasting human angle stories, gender inequalities, minority stories, and human rights issues. She has documented sexual war crimes in armed conflict, sex for grades in Nigerian Universities, harmful traditional practices and human trafficking.