The Acting Minister for Defence, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, has assured Parliament that a full investigation will be conducted into the tragic stampede that occurred during the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) recruitment exercise at the El-Wak Sports Stadium in Accra.
The incident, which happened on Wednesday, November 12, 2025, resulted in the deaths of six people and left several others injured.
Addressing Members of Parliament, Dr. Forson expressed deep sorrow over the tragedy and presented an official update on the casualties.
“I regret to report that there were 34 persons who were direct casualties, some of whom are potential recruits and others, unfortunately, are not related to the enlistment at all,” he said.
He explained that out of the 34 casualties, six had been confirmed dead, while others were still receiving medical attention.
“Out of these 34 casualties, six persons have been confirmed dead. Five are critical, and as we speak, they are in the ICU. Twelve are fairly critical, and the rest are stable and under observation,” the Minister disclosed.
Dr. Forson also noted that a separate incident had been reported at the Kumasi recruitment centre in the Ashanti Region, where one individual was hospitalised, although it was unrelated to the stampede in Accra.
“Additionally, there is a reported case of one person hospitalised at the Kumasi Recruitment Centre, though that incident is unrelated to the stampede in Accra,” he said.
Following the tragic event, Dr. Forson announced that the Defence Ministry had halted the recruitment process in Accra until further notice.
“In light of this development, the Ministry of Defence has halted the recruitment process in Accra until further notice. I wish to assure Honourable Members that in all other regions, the exercise is progressing smoothly and without incident,” he added.
He extended condolences to the affected families and assured Parliament that steps were being taken to support the injured and to identify the causes of the tragedy.
“The Ministry of Defence deeply mourns the loss of life and extends condolences to the affected families. We are working closely with the Ghana Armed Forces, medical teams, and law enforcement agencies to provide full support to the injured and to investigate the circumstances that led to this tragedy,” Dr. Forson said.
He further revealed that the Ghana Armed Forces had formed an internal board of inquiry to look into the matter and offer recommendations.
“The Ghana Armed Forces has instituted an internal board of inquiry to investigate the causes of this unfortunate incident. The safety and dignity of applicants remain paramount, and the Ministry will take every step necessary to prevent a recurrence,” he affirmed.
Meanwhile, Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin joined calls for the President to appoint a substantive Minister for Defence, citing the pressure on the acting minister and the need for consistent leadership.
“This is an opportunity for us to rethink the whole process of enlistment, recruitment, and employment in the public service. We have a serious challenge, and we have to confront it head-on,” the Speaker remarked.
He commended the armed forces for their dedication and sacrifice and urged Parliament’s Defence and Interior Committee to closely monitor the investigation.
“This is an institution that we all revere. It’s because of them that we are all protected. You know what they do, they decide not to sleep like the police, so that we can sleep. It’s not an easy job,” he said.
Mr. Bagbin also advised the government to consider adopting a more continuous and decentralised recruitment approach to prevent overcrowding at centres in the future.
“Even though some measures have been taken, I will direct our committee to follow up on the process. We must also expedite the appointment of a substantive minister. It’s not because the current acting minister is not capable, but we know the pressures on him.
What prevents this country from having a continuous recruitment process? We don’t have to wait and do it once every year or two, causing people to rush and overcrowd recruitment centres,” the Speaker added.
