Mahama confirms 6 young women dead, over a dozen injured in Military recruitment stampede

President John Dramani Mahama has confirmed that six young women lost their lives and others sustained injuries during a stampede at the Ghana Armed Forces’ recruitment exercise at the El Wak Sports Stadium in Accra.

He added that a similar incident occurred in Kumasi, where reports of injuries were recorded.

Speaking during the launch of the Nkoko Nkitinkiti programme in the Ashanti Region, President Mahama described the incident as “heartbreaking” and called for immediate action to prevent such tragedies in future recruitment exercises.

“As I speak to you, six have lost their lives and 12 are injured, and we are praying for a speedy recovery. Top officials in the military tell us that six of our youth, all females, have lost their lives. Also in Kumasi, the same thing happened, and people were injured,” he said.

The president has since directed the Ghana Armed Forces to temporarily suspend the ongoing nationwide recruitment exercise to allow for investigations into the circumstances that led to the fatalities.

The recruitment, which began today, attracted thousands of applicants seeking to join the military, resulting in overcrowding and chaotic scenes at several centres.

Eyewitnesses at the El Wak Stadium said the stampede occurred when gates were opened for entry, causing a rush among hopeful recruits.

President Mahama expressed his condolences to the families of the deceased and assured them that the government would ensure accountability and safety in subsequent recruitment processes.

He also urged the Defence Ministry and the military high command to review their screening procedures and crowd management measures before resuming the exercise.

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