Parliament yesterday descended into grief and reflection as Members from both sides of the House commented on the tragic stampede at the El-Wak Sports Stadium in Accra, which claimed six lives and left several others injured during the ongoing Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) recruitment exercise.
The tragedy, which occurred Wednesday morning, has prompted urgent calls for a review of the military’s recruitment procedures, as legislators demanded accountability, improved safety standards, and comprehensive reforms to ensure that future exercises do not end in similar tragedy.
Appearing before the House, the Acting Minister for Defence, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, confirmed that six people had died and 22 others sustained various injuries following the incident. He said five of the injured are in critical condition and currently receiving treatment at the intensive care unit, while 12 are fairly critical and the rest are in stable condition under observation.
Dr. Forson said the incident occurred despite deliberate efforts by the Ministry and the GAF to decentralise this year’s recruitment exercise to avoid overcrowding.
“The Ghana Armed Forces announced the recruitment processes about a month ago, and applicants were directed to appear at their chosen regional centres for documentation and body selection. This year’s recruitment exercise was being conducted simultaneously across all regions to decentralise the process, reduce congestion, and ensure fairness and accessibility,” he told the House.
“Unfortunately, despite these measures, a stampede occurred at the El-Wak facility in Accra,” the Minister added.
He disclosed that the recruitment process in Accra has been suspended until further notice, while exercises in other regions are continuing smoothly.
Dr. Forson also revealed that the GAF has instituted an internal board of inquiry to investigate the circumstances leading to the tragedy.
The Ministry, he said, is collaborating with Armed Forces medical teams and law enforcement agencies to support the injured and the affected families.
“The Ministry of Defence deeply mourns the loss of life and extends condolences to the bereaved families. The safety and dignity of applicants remain paramount, and every step necessary will be taken to prevent a recurrence,” he assured Parliament.
Earlier, in separate statements, the Minority Chief Whip and MP for Nsawam-Adoagyiri, Frank Annoh-Dompreh, and the NDC MP for Guan, Fred Kwesi Agbenyo, had described the tragedy as both avoidable and a national wake-up call.
Mr. Annoh-Dompreh called it “a profound and systemic failure” that demanded urgent action. Quoting Shakespeare’s The Tempest, he reflected on the fragility of life, saying the victims were “once among thousands of Ghanaians waiting for the opportunity to serve their country but met their fate in pursuit of that dream.”
He urged the immediate suspension of the exercise and the decentralisation of all future recruitment processes.
Mr. Agbenyo, on his part, described the incident as a “national tragedy and a painful reminder of the desperation many young people face in search of opportunity.”
He commended President John Dramani Mahama for his “swift and compassionate response” in visiting the 37 Military Hospital, but called for a full-scale investigation into the tragedy.
“If anyone slept on their job, they must be sanctioned,” he insisted, adding that future recruitment should be decentralised and digitised.
Adding his voice, the NPP MP for Effiduase-Asokore, Dr. Nana Ayew Afriyie, said the Ghana Armed Forces failed in its risk and public health assessments ahead of the recruitment exercise.
He questioned whether the Ministry of Defence had collaborated with the Ministry of Health or the Ghana Health Service in preparing for such a large-scale public event.
“After the elections, what were they anticipating, and what measures did they put in place? I doubt if there was any partnership with the health authorities, even though this was a field exercise with clear public health implications,” he said.
Dr. Ayew Afriyie also called for better inter-ministerial coordination in future recruitment drives and urged the President, as Commander-in-Chief, to appoint a substantive Minister for Defence, noting that the current acting minister already holds the demanding Finance portfolio.
He further appealed for compensation and state support for the victims and their families, saying, “There is nothing that can replace a life, but there is a way for the government to make affected families feel seen, supported, and valued.”
By Ernest Kofi Adu, Parliament House