A stampede during a Ghana Armed Forces recruitment exercise at the ELWAK Military Sports Facility in Accra has resulted in six deaths and left some injured, according to an official update given to Parliament by Finance Minister and Acting Defence Minister, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson.
Dr. Forson, addressing the House on Wednesday, revealed, “Right Honourable Speaker, I come before you today to inform the House of a tragic incident that occurred this morning at the ELWAK military sports facility during the ongoing recruitment exercise of the Ghana Armed Forces.”
He disclosed that 34 people were direct casualties of the incident, some of them potential recruits, others bystanders unrelated to the military enlistment.
“Unfortunately, despite these measures, a stampede occurred at the ELWAK facility in Accra. I regret to report that there were 34 persons who were direct casualties… Out of these 34 casualties, six persons have been confirmed dead. Five are critical and as we speak, they are in the ICU. Twelve are fairly critical. The rest are stable and under observation,” Dr. Forson stated.
The Minister explained that this year’s exercise was designed to decentralise recruitment, reduce congestion, and ensure accessibility and fairness across all regions.
“Indeed, it was a system designed to decentralise the process, reduce congestion, ensure transparency and fairness, as well as to ensure accessibility nationwide,” he said, adding that all potential applicants were notified to report to their chosen regional centers for documentation and body selection.
Besides the casualties in Accra, Dr. Forson noted, “There is a reported case of one person hospitalised at the Kumasi Recruitment Centre, though that incident is unrelated to the stampede in Accra.”
Following the tragedy, the Defence Ministry has suspended the recruitment exercise at the Accra centre until further notice.
“The Ministry of Defence has halted the recruitment process in Accra until further notice,” the Minister confirmed.
He assured Parliament and the public that, “in all other regions, the exercise is progressing smoothly and without incidents. The Ministry of Defence deeply mourns the loss of life and extends condolences to the affected families. We are working closely with 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.”
Dr. Forson concluded that an internal board of enquiry will thoroughly investigate the causes of the incident.“The safety and dignity of applicants remains paramount and the Ministry will take every step necessary to prevent reoccurrence of this matter,” he affirmed.
