Six Feared Dead as Job-Seekers Stampede for Military Recruitment

At least six persons are feared dead following a stampede at the El-Wak Sports Stadium in Accra on Wednesday, November 12, 2025, during an ongoing Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) recruitment exercise.

Information available to The Chronicle has it that thousands of young Ghanaians had besieged the stadium in a desperate attempt to secure enlistment into the military. The heavy crowd and intense pushing at the gates led to chaos, resulting in multiple casualties.

Sources at the 37 Military Hospital confirmed that the bodies of six victims had been deposited at the morgue, while several others were receiving treatment for various injuries. Security personnel have cordoned off the area and diverted traffic to facilitate emergency operations.

Meanwhile, the Ghana Armed Forces has issued a statement expressing “deep regret,” noting that preliminary investigations indicated the stampede was triggered when “an unexpected surge of applicants breached security protocols and rushed into the gates ahead of the scheduled screening at about 6:20 a.m.”

The statement confirmed six potential recruits had died, while many others were injured and receiving care at the hospital. The military extended condolences to the bereaved families and wished a swift recovery to the injured.

The El-Wak tragedy underscores the depth of Ghana’s youth unemployment crisis. Many young people continue to pursue limited public sector opportunities, particularly in the security services, which remain one of the few pathways to stable employment.

Labour analysts say the stampede is a grim reminder of the urgent need for sustainable job creation and policies that expand economic opportunities for young Ghanaians.

The Ghana Armed Forces has assured the public that investigations are ongoing to determine the exact cause of the incident and prevent similar occurrences in future recruitment exercises.

 

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