The government has announced that families of the six young applicants who tragically died during Wednesday’s stampede at the El-Wak Stadium in Accra will each receive an automatic recruitment slot into the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) for a qualified relative. The gesture, officials say, is meant to honour the victims who lost their lives while attempting to serve their nation.
The stampede occurred when hundreds of job seekers surged into the stadium during documentation and body-selection procedures, breaching security protocols and creating a deadly rush that left six dead and many injured.
During a visit to one bereaved family at Eyan Maim in the Central Region, Deputy Defence Minister Ernest Brogya Genfi disclosed that President John Dramani Mahama has suspended the Accra recruitment exercise and ordered enhanced safety measures.
“The President has sent us to inform you that the State will stand with the families in the burial and funeral arrangements,” the Deputy Minister said.
“All those who wanted to wear the military uniform but died in the process, their families should present a replacement to be absorbed into the military.”
Regional authorities will work directly with affected families to identify eligible relatives for the recruitment slots.
State Assures Support and Befitting Burials
Also present was the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, who described the tragedy as “deeply heartbreaking” and reaffirmed government’s commitment to supporting the victims’ families.
“The government wants you to know that you’re not in this alone; the whole nation is affected,” she said.
“His Excellency John Mahama stands with you through this painful period.”
The government has pledged to finance all burial and funeral arrangements for the six victims. For those injured and receiving treatment at the 37 Military Hospital, the state will bear the full medical cost until they fully recover.
Preliminary Report Points to Protocol Breach
A preliminary inquiry by the Ghana Armed Forces indicates that the stampede was triggered when applicants rushed through the stadium gates before the scheduled time, overwhelming security personnel and creating fatal congestion.
The government’s intervention, including the offer of automatic recruitment slots, is intended to honour the memory of the deceased while reassuring families of the state’s commitment to their welfare during this period of national grief.
