At least six people have been confirmed dead and several others injured following a tragic stampede at the El-Wak Sports Stadium in Accra on Wednesday, November 12, 2025.
The incident occurred during a Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) recruitment exercise that drew an overwhelming crowd of job seekers.
Eyewitnesses say thousands of young Ghanaians converged on the stadium early in the morning, hoping to secure a slot in the ongoing enlistment process.
However, the massive turnout and poor crowd management reportedly led to chaos at the entry gates, resulting in the deadly crush.
Sources from the 37 Military Hospital told Citi News that the bodies of the six deceased have been deposited at the hospital’s morgue, while scores of others are being treated for injuries at the emergency ward.
Security personnel swiftly cordoned off the area, with the military blocking major access routes leading to the stadium to maintain order and facilitate rescue operations.
The tragic event comes in the wake of an extension of the GAF’s recruitment period.
The exercise, which was originally set to close on October 31, was extended by a week following what the military described as “technical challenges” on its online recruitment portal.
In an earlier statement signed by Colonel Evelyn Ntiamoah Asamoah, Acting Director General of Public Relations, the GAF explained that the extension was meant to give affected applicants more time to complete their applications.
“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,” the statement noted.
Authorities are yet to issue an official comment on the stampede. However, preliminary reports point to inadequate crowd control measures and the sheer volume of applicants as key factors behind the disaster.
