Accra Recruitment Suspended After El Wak Stampede — Six Dead, 34 Injured
Accra, Ghana – The Acting Minister of Defence, Dr. Forson announced that the Ministry of Defence has suspended the recruitment exercise in the Greater Accra Region until further notice, in line with the Ghana Armed Forces’ earlier press statement issued from Burma Camp.“In light of this development, the Ministry of Defence has halted the recruitment process in Accra until further notice. I wish to assure Honorable Members that in all other regions, the exercise is progressing smoothly and without incident,” he said.
Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, briefing Parliament on the tragic stampede that occurred at the El Wak Sports Stadium in Accra during the ongoing Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) recruitment exercise, confirmed that six people have died and 34 others sustained injuries.
Dr Forson described the event as “a deeply regrettable incident” that occurred despite the Ministry’s efforts to decentralize and improve the recruitment process across the country.
“Mr. Speaker, unfortunately, despite these measures, a stampede occurred at the El Wak facility in Accra. I regret to report that there were 34 persons who were direct casualties, some of whom are potential recruits, and others, unfortunately, not related to the enlistment at all,” he told Parliament.
The Minister provided a detailed breakdown of the casualties, confirming that six persons have been confirmed dead, five remain in critical condition at the ICU, while 12 others are fairly critical and receiving treatment.
“Out of these 34 casualties, six persons have been confirmed dead. Five are critical and in the ICU. Twelve are fairly critical, while the rest are stable and under observation,” Dr. Forson said.
He added that one unrelated hospitalization had been reported at the Kumasi recruitment center but clarified that it was not connected to the El Wak incident.
The Minister noted that the 2025/2026 recruitment drive, which attracted tens of thousands of applicants, was designed to reduce congestion, enhance fairness, and ensure nationwide accessibility by conducting the process simultaneously across all regions.
Dr. Forson emphasized that the Ministry has launched a full-scale investigation into the tragedy and that the Ghana Armed Forces has constituted a Board of Inquiry to determine the cause and recommend preventive measures.
“The Ghana Armed Forces has instituted an internal Board of Inquiry to investigate the causes of this unfortunate incident,” he confirmed. “The safety and dignity of applicants remains paramount, and the Ministry will take every step necessary to prevent a recurrence.”
He also extended condolences on behalf of the Ministry to the families of the deceased, assuring Parliament that support is being provided to the injured in collaboration with medical and law enforcement agencies.
“The Ministry of Defence deeply mourns the loss of life and extends condolences to the affected families. We are working closely with the Ghana Armed Forces, medical teams, and law enforcement agencies to provide full support to the injured and to investigate the circumstances that led to this tragedy,” he said.
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