Six young women gone – A national wake-up call on recruitment, safety and future of opportunity

…A tragedy that shook the nation

By Rita Adu BOATENG

On Wednesday, November 12, Ghana was confronted with a heartbreaking incident that has left families grieving and a nation unsettled. Six young women—brimming with aspiration, purpose and the desire to serve—lost their lives in a stampede during the security services recruitment exercise at the El-Wak Stadium. It is an event that has exposed deep systemic flaws and raised urgent questions about how we manage public-sector recruitment.

That morning, images of the swelling crowd at El-Wak circulated across social media. The sheer volume of people prompted many of us to wonder: How can we make this process more orderly and safer for both the recruiter and the applicant? Only a few hours later, those concerns transformed into distress. Reports of a stampede and fatalities began to surface, and the country watched in disbelief.

To the families who have lost their daughters, sisters and loved ones, I extend my deepest condolences. May you find strength, comfort and support in this painful season.

A harsh reality – All six victims were women

The emotional weight of the tragedy intensified when it became clear that all six casualties were young women. This revelation shook many of us deeply and raised critical questions:

• Why were all the victims female?
• What happened within the crowd dynamics?
• Were gender-specific vulnerabilities overlooked?
• Could this tragedy have been prevented?

Processing this reality was difficult. These were young women pursuing opportunity, dignity and economic mobility. Their loss is not only personal to their families—it is a national failure. “A society’s greatness is measured not by how many opportunities it creates, but by how safely and equitably its women can access them.” — Michelle Obama

Where the system failed – Lessons and reflections

1. Centralising thousands in one location is unsafe – The current model of concentrating recruitment at a single venue is inherently risky. Decentralising the process across regions would significantly reduce congestion, improve accessibility and enhance safety.
2. Integrity must be preserved during decentralisation – Creating multiple recruitment centres should not compromise standards. With proper oversight, transparent protocols and consistent evaluation criteria, quality can be maintained across all locations.
3. Digital transformation must drive recruitment – Ghana’s public sector cannot continue to rely on heavily manual systems for large-scale exercises. Modern recruitment should leverage:

• Digital pre-screening
• Online application verification
• Time-slot scheduling
• Biometric validation
  These tools reduce human traffic and create a more structured, transparent and secure process.

4. Gender-sensitive safety measures save lives – This is not about offering women lower standards—it is about recognising biological differences and planning accordingly. Separate queues, staggered entry, and controlled female-access corridors would have greatly reduced the risks faced by women in crowded spaces.
5. Recruitment should be staggered over weeks, not hours – A one-day recruitment model is outdated and impractical. Spreading the process over weeks allows for controlled numbers, professional crowd management and far better oversight.

Policy imperatives – What Ghana must consider now

• Conduct a full audit of security services recruitment – A thorough review of all recruitment protocols across the security agencies is urgently needed, including crowd management, risk assessment and emergency procedures.
• Professionalise crowd-control and safety planning – Large-scale public exercises require input from emergency planners, behavioural scientists, and logistics experts—not only administrators.
• Embed gender-responsive safety protocols – Policies must explicitly address the unique vulnerabilities women face during mass gatherings and high-pressure events.
• Integrate technology to reduce human congestion – Digitising the recruitment journey is not a luxury—it is a necessity for safeguarding lives.
• Enhance emergency preparedness across ministries – Emergency response plans must be rehearsed, resourced and integrated into all major recruitment activities.

A partnered path forward – Public sector meets civil society

Reform will require collaboration across ministries, agencies and the private sector. Organisations like Chalom Hights, dedicated to empowering young women, are well-positioned to support this national conversation. Contributions may include:

• Advisory support on gender-sensitive recruitment
• Research on women’s experiences during public-sector assessments
• Public education on safe participation
• Platforms for dialogue between government, youth and civil society
• Policy recommendations that centre the safety and dignity of young women

Chalom Hights stands ready to engage the Ministry of Defence, the Ministry of Gender, National Security, and other stakeholders in building more inclusive and safer national systems.

Turning pain into purpose

The lives of these six young women must not be reduced to statistics or forgotten headlines. Their memory must push us to redesign public-sector recruitment with safety, dignity and fairness at its core. Ghana has the talent, resources and responsibility to ensure that such a tragedy never happens again. This painful moment should be our national wake-up call—one that compels us to protect the aspirations of every young person seeking to serve their country.

Honouring the lives lost

We honour the memory of the six young women who tragically lost their lives while pursuing opportunity and a chance to serve their nation. Their aspirations must not be forgotten, and their passing must ignite a renewed national commitment to safeguarding the dreams of every young Ghanaian.

>>>is the Founder of Chalom Hights, a women’s empowerment organisation dedicated to building confidence, leadership readiness and career visibility in young women across Ghana. She is a passionate advocate for gender equity, youth development and safe access to economic opportunity. She can be reached via [email protected]

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