Speaker Bagbin Donates GH₵100,000 to El Wak Stampede Victims, Calls for Safer Recruitment Procedures
Accra, Ghana – Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin has announced a donation of GH₵100,000 to assist the victims of the tragic stampede at El Wak Sports Stadium during the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) recruitment exercise. He also used the opportunity to renew calls for urgent reforms to recruitment procedures to prevent a recurrence.
Mr. Bagbin visited injured applicants at the 37 Military Hospital in Accra, accompanied by parliamentary leadership, pledging Parliament’s solidarity with affected families.
“The recurring challenges associated with public-sector recruitment exercises must prompt urgent reform,” the Speaker said, referencing overcrowding and safety breakdowns that culminated in the stampede.
The incident, which occurred on Wednesday 12 November 2025, resulted in multiple fatalities and serious injuries after a surge of applicants attempted to gain entry for screening into the Ghana Armed Forces. The GAF subsequently suspended the national recruitment exercise pending investigation.
Mr. Bagbin stated that the donation is intended “to help alleviate the financial burden on the victims and demonstrate Parliament’s solidarity with affected families.”
He called on the Ministries of Defence and Youth to immediately review and strengthen recruitment processes, suggesting streamlined documentation, limited crowd sizes, improved logistics and decentralised regional centres.
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