Unraveling the Tragedy at El Wak Sports Stadium
The tragic stampede at the El Wak Sports Stadium in Accra, which claimed the lives of six military applicants and left many others injured, has sparked a deep investigation into the events that led to the disaster. The incident, which occurred on Wednesday, 12 November 2025, has revealed a complex web of fraud, poor crowd management, and systemic failures within the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF).
A Leadership Change Amidst Crisis
In response to the unfolding tragedy, senior military sources confirmed that Colonel Matthew Kwesi Asuka, the Director of Manpower Planning, was removed from his position just hours after the incident. He has since been replaced by Group Captain Nyarko, an Air Force officer. This decision highlights the gravity of the situation and the need for immediate action to address the underlying issues.
Challenges During the Recruitment Exercise
The recruitment exercise faced numerous challenges, starting with the overwhelming number of applicants who had gathered in their thousands. Military personnel reported arriving early in the morning to set up the venue, but they struggled to manage the crowd effectively. The first day of the exercise was dedicated to enlisting Air Force applicants, yet individuals interested in the Navy and Army also showed up, leading to confusion and further complications.
Fraudulent Activities and Mismanagement
Insiders disclosed that several individuals not part of the recruitment process managed to enter the stadium, pushing through the crowd to help relatives gain priority access. Among these individuals were fraudsters, one of whom is currently in Military Police custody. These fraudsters allegedly charged victims GH₵30,000 each and provided falsified documents to facilitate their entry into the recruitment exercise. Despite repeated warnings from Colonel Asuka, this scheme persisted.
During the exercise, four applicants were found with fake documents, and they pointed out a man in the crowd as the individual who supplied them. He was immediately apprehended and taken into custody. The fraudsters are also said to have encouraged their victims to force their way through the queue and even scale the stadium walls to access the inner perimeter.
The Trigger of the Stampede
The stampede was triggered when a military truck arrived to deliver supplies for the exercise, prompting applicants to surge towards the stadium’s entrance and force their way inside. The dead were all female, adding to the tragedy of the event.
Organizational Decisions and Unexpected Turnout
Military authorities had assessed that the Air Force had the fewest applicants and decided to process them first to evaluate the flow of the exercise before handling the larger numbers expected from the other wings, particularly the Army. However, turnout surged unexpectedly on the first day after fraudsters urged their victims to report with their fake documents, warning them that failure to do so would result in them being left out of the exercise.
“Everybody turned up, regardless of the wing they had applied for, including people who were not part of the recruitment process, but forced their way in to help relatives get ahead of the queue,” a source noted.
Personal Accounts of the Tragedy
One of the injured applicants told defense officials that he broke his leg after climbing over the wall, admitting that he had misjudged its height and landed badly. Another injured man, currently on admission at 37 Military Hospital, told officials that he had accompanied his niece and pushed through the crowd to secure a place for her. Tragically, she was among the six who lost their lives.
Some applicants reportedly arrived as early as 8 p.m. on Tuesday and camped overnight at the venue. Tensions later flared between this group and others who arrived on Wednesday morning and attempted to push ahead, culminating in the chaotic scenes that led to the deadly stampede once recruiters arrived to commence the exercise.
Statistics and Aftermath
Reports indicate that 60,000 persons applied for enlistment in the Ghana Armed Forces during the 2025 enlistment exercise. According to the report, 50% of the applicants, 30,000 in total, qualified, but in the end, only 4,000 will be recruited. As early as 6 a.m., soldiers on duty struggled to control the overwhelming crowd that had thronged the El Wak Sports Stadium.
Over 2,000 applicants reportedly formed long queues stretching from the 37 Military Hospital bus stop to the stadium gates, causing massive traffic congestion in the area. Accra and Kumasi experienced the chaotic incident, with some applicants hospitalised in Kumasi, but 14 other regions are said to have gone through the exercise in an orderly manner.
Per the briefing by one of the hospital authorities, there are 28 casualties, six dead, 5 in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and 12 are in fairly critical condition.
Presidential Response and Official Statements
Meanwhile, President John Mahama paid a visit to the victims of the stampede that occurred at the El-Wak Sports Stadium in Accra on November 12, 2025. He was accompanied on the visit by the Ag. Defence Minister, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, the Minister in Charge of Government Communications, Felix Kwakye Ofosu and members of the military high command.
The President was briefed by hospital officials before interacting with some of the victims. According to a press release issued by Captain Veronica Adzo Arhin, Acting Director General of Public Relations for the Ghana Armed Forces, the tragic incident occurred shortly before the commencement of the recruitment exercise at about 6:20 a.m.
Preliminary investigations indicate that the stampede was triggered by an unexpected surge of applicants who breached security protocols and rushed into the gates ahead of the scheduled screening. This sudden movement led to chaos and multiple casualties.
“The unfortunate incident led to the death of six potential recruits and many others were injured,” the statement said. Those injured are currently receiving emergency medical care at the 37 Military Hospital in Accra.
The Ghana Armed Forces assured the public that medical teams are working tirelessly to stabilise the affected individuals and that arrangements are underway to notify the families of the deceased.
“The Ghana Armed Forces extends its deepest condolences to the families of the deceased and wishes a swift recovery to those injured. Further updates will be communicated,” the statement added.
