A tragic stampede at the El-Wak Sports Stadium in Accra has left six potential recruits dead and several others injured during the 2025/2026 Ghana Armed Forces recruitment exercise.
According to an official statement from the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF), the incident occurred early on Wednesday, November 12, 2025, when a large crowd of applicants breached security protocols and rushed through the gates before the scheduled screening time.
Preliminary investigations suggest that poor crowd control and inadequate safety measures contributed to the chaos, raising questions about the management of large-scale public recruitment exercises.
The injured victims are receiving treatment at the 37 Military Hospital, while efforts are underway to notify families of the deceased. The GAF has extended its deepest condolences to the bereaved families and assured the public that medical teams are working tirelessly to stabilise those affected.
Civil society groups and public safety advocates are calling for an urgent review of recruitment protocols, emphasizing the need for better crowd management, emergency preparedness, and transparent communication during national enlistment exercises.
This tragedy underscores the importance of placing human safety at the center of public events, particularly those involving large numbers of young people seeking employment opportunities.
The Ghana Armed Forces says further updates will be communicated as investigations continue.
This is so unfortunate 😔
Why must our leaders always wait for tragedies to occur before putting measures in place?
Excuse me to say,is like they sometimes don’t have brains to reason.
This is so so unfortunate! 😞
How would the families of this potential deceased recruits take this news?