Six Dead in El-Wak Stadium Stampede During Military Recruitment
Overcrowding and Poor Crowd Control Lead to Fatal Stampede During Ghana Armed Forces Recruitment
- Stampede at El-Wak Stadium during military recruitment leaves six people dead.
- Thousands of applicants caused chaos at entry points, resulting in injuries and fatalities.
- The exercise had been extended by a week due to technical issues on the application portal.
At least six people have died following a stampede at El-Wak Sports Stadium in Accra on Wednesday, November 12, 2025, during a military recruitment exercise.
Thousands of young Ghanaians had gathered at the stadium hoping to secure enlistment into the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF). The large crowd, combined with intense jostling at entry points, reportedly led to chaos, resulting in multiple injuries and fatalities.
The bodies of the six deceased have been taken to the 37 Military Hospital morgue, while several others are receiving emergency treatment in the hospital’s casualty ward.
Security personnel have cordoned off the area, with the military blocking major roads around El-Wak Stadium to maintain order and support rescue operations.
The tragedy occurred amid an extended recruitment period announced by the Ghana Armed Forces. Originally set to close on October 31, 2025, the exercise had been extended by one week due to technical issues on the recruitment portal.
In a statement, Colonel Evelyn Ntiamoah Asamoah, Acting Director General of Public Relations for the military, explained:
“The Ghana Armed Forces has extended the deadline for the ongoing recruitment exercise by one week due to some technical challenges encountered on the recruitment portal during the initial period.”
Preliminary reports suggest that poor crowd control and the overwhelming turnout contributed to the stampede. Authorities are expected to launch investigations to determine the circumstances behind the incident and prevent similar tragedies in future recruitment exercises.
