Keta residents mourn six female recruits who died in El-Wak Stadium stampede during Ghana Armed Forces exercise

Residents of Keta in the Volta Region are mourning the six female applicants who tragically lost their lives on Wednesday during a stampede at El-Wak Stadium in Accra amid the ongoing nationwide Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) recruitment exercise.

The incident has sent shockwaves throughout the community, prompting widespread condolences to the bereaved families.

Mr Bill Godson Ocloo, a security analyst, expressed sympathy for the families while criticising the recruitment process as flawed. He suggested that the military should have conducted the exercise in batches to prevent overcrowding, which he believes contributed to the tragic outcome.

“The outcome of a thorough investigation will determine the cause of the stampede and inform safer recruitment methods going forward,” he said, emphasising that the exercise, intended to provide young people with national service opportunities, ended in tragedy for some families.

The incident occurred at the El-Wak Stadium, a common venue for large public gatherings in Greater Accra. Mr Ocloo noted that a combination of factors may have contributed to the disaster and stressed the importance of reviewing safety and management protocols for future exercises.

Residents, including Mr Famous Eli Doamekpor from Vui, a suburb of Keta, highlighted the outpouring of sympathy across the community and called for calm as authorities investigate the incident to prevent recurrence.

The Ghana Armed Forces, in a statement released on Wednesday, expressed deep regret and pledged support to the families of the deceased, while committing to full cooperation with investigators. Government officials, including President John Dramani Mahama, visited the 37 Military Hospital in Accra to console those injured and receiving treatment.

In the wake of the tragedy, the recruitment process in Greater Accra has been temporarily suspended to allow for investigations and the implementation of additional safety measures.

Some residents have recommended giving special attention to female applicants in future exercises and urged the appointment of a substantive Minister of Defence to oversee recruitment processes.

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