(VIDEO) GAF Recruitment: Injured Recruit Sandra Baafi Boateng Battles for Life After Baba Yara Stadium Stampede
Scores injured during military recruitment stampede in Kumasi, authorities promise investigation and safety measures
- Multiple applicants injured in Baba Yara Stadium stampede; Sandra Baafi Boateng in critical condition
- Government response underway, with visits from Mayor and Ashanti Regional Minister
- Incident coincided with El-Wak stampede, raising urgent calls for recruitment safety reforms
Sandra Baafi Boateng, a 24-year-old hopeful, is among several young Ghanaians fighting for their lives in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in Kumasi following a tragic stampede at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium.
The incident occurred last Wednesday during the Ghana Armed Forces recruitment exercise, which drew thousands of applicants.
Doctors have reported that Sandra’s injuries are critical, giving her a 50/50 chance of survival.
The stampede left scores of other hopefuls injured, highlighting the dangers faced by young Ghanaians seeking stable employment amid high national unemployment.
The incident coincided with the El-Wak stampede in Accra, which claimed six lives and left many others injured.
Families of the victims in El-Wak have been visited by government delegations, and the injured received attention from authorities.
President John Mahama personally visited the injured at the hospital last Wednesday.
In Kumasi, however, five days after the stampede, Sandra’s family reported that they had only received a visit from the Kumasi Mayor, Richard Ofori Agyemang Boadi. Reports indicate that the Ashanti Regional Minister, Hon. Frank Amoakohene, have visited Sandra and other injured applicants this morning at Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital.
The tragic event underscores the risks thousands of young Ghanaians take to secure jobs in the security services. It has reignited calls for reforms in the recruitment process to prioritize safety and organization.
The Ghana Armed Forces has suspended the exercise pending a thorough investigation and assured that measures will be implemented to prevent such incidents in the future.
Meanwhile, families of the injured, including Sandra, remain hopeful for recovery while the nation reflects on the human cost of unemployment-driven desperation.
