Tragedy struck in Accra on Tuesday morning when a stampede at one of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) screening centres claimed the lives of at least seven applicants during the ongoing 2025/2026 nationwide military recruitment exercise.
The incident occurred at the El Wak Sports Stadium, one of the designated venues for documentation and body selection in the Greater Accra Region.
Eyewitnesses say hundreds of anxious applicants had gathered at dawn, hoping to secure early access for the day’s screening session, when the situation spiraled out of control.
According to reports, the crowd surged toward the entrance as military officers opened the gates, resulting in a chaotic stampede that left several people injured and seven others dead on the spot.
Emergency response teams from the Ghana National Fire Service and the National Ambulance Service quickly rushed to the scene to transport the injured to nearby hospitals, including the 37 Military Hospital.
Security personnel have since cordoned off the area while investigations are underway.
Background of the Recruitment Exercise
The 2025/2026 Armed Forces recruitment process, which began on October 1, 2025, aims to enlist qualified Ghanaian youth into the Army, Navy, and Air Force.
After extending the application deadline from October 31 to November 7 due to technical challenges on its online portal, GAF scheduled documentation and body selection for shortlisted applicants to take place between November 12 and 13 at designated screening centres nationwide.
The exercise, which forms part of government’s plan to recruit 12,000 new personnel into the Ghana Armed Forces over the next three and a half years, is being conducted simultaneously across all 16 regional capitals to ensure nationwide accessibility and transparency.
