…..Chief military recruiter fired! The Herald's inquiry into the tragic stampede at the El Wak Sports Stadium in Accra on Wednesday has ...
…..Chief military recruiter fired!
The Herald's inquiry into the tragic stampede at the El Wak Sports Stadium in Accra on Wednesday has revealed a network of deceit and significant shortcomings in crowd control by the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF), resulting in the deaths of six military trainees and injuries to others.
High-ranking military officials have verified that Colonel Matthew Kwesi Asuka (GH/2848), the head of manpower planning, was dismissed from his position on Wednesday, 12 November 2025, shortly following the event, and has now been succeeded by Group Captain Nyarko, a member of the Air Force.
The selection process faced many difficulties, such as the desperation of candidates who flooded the stadium in large numbers, and insufficient crowd management by military staff who arrived early in the morning to prepare the location.
The initial day of the training focused on recruiting Air Force candidates, although those who had shown interest in the Navy and Army were also seen having their paperwork reviewed and participating in the physical assessment process.
The Herald also learned that multiple people who were not involved in the hiring process managed to enter the stadium, moving through the crowd to assist their family members in getting closer to the front of the line.
Sources revealed that scammers, one of whom is currently held by the Military Police, encouraged applicants to violate the stadium's inner boundary for document verification and physical examination.
The accused fraudster is said to have demanded GH₵30,000 from each victim and created fake documents to help them join the recruitment process. This scam continued even after Colonel Asuka issued multiple warnings on different radio stations, advising applicants to be wary of fake agents.
During the exercise, four candidates were discovered possessing fake documents and identified a man in the crowd as the person who provided them. He was promptly arrested, transferred to the Military Police, and placed in detention.
The scammers are also reported to have urged their victims to push through the line and even climb the stadium walls to reach the inner area.
An injured candidate informed defense authorities that he fractured his leg while scaling the wall, acknowledging that he had miscalculated its height and fell incorrectly.
The chaos began when a military truck arrived to bring supplies for the training, causing candidates to rush toward the stadium's entrance and push their way in. All the deceased were women.
The setup for the exercise was that potential Air Force candidates would go through document review and physical assessment on the first day, then the Navy, with Army applicants set for Saturday, continuing until all spots were filled.
Military officials determined that the Air Force had the smallest number of applicants, so they chose to handle them first in order to gauge the process of the exercise before dealing with the larger groups anticipated from the other branches, especially the Army.
Nevertheless, participation increased unexpectedly on the first day when fraudsters encouraged their victims to submit false documents, cautioning them that not doing so would lead to their exclusion from the process.
"Everyone arrived, irrespective of the department they had applied to, including individuals who were not involved in the hiring process, but managed to enter to assist their relatives in jumping the line," a source mentioned.
A second injured individual, now hospitalized at the 37 Military Hospital, informed authorities that he had gone with his niece and fought through the crowd to get her a spot. Unfortunately, she was one of the six who died.
Several candidates are said to have reached the location as early as 8 p.m. on Tuesday and spent the night there. Later, conflicts arose between this group and those who arrived on Wednesday morning, who tried to move forward, resulting in the disorderly situation that caused the fatal rush when recruiters arrived to start the process.
It has been reported that 60,000 individuals signed up for military service in the Ghana Armed Forces throughout the 2025 recruitment period.
As per the report, 50% of the applicants, totaling 30,000, met the criteria, but ultimately only 4,000 will be hired.
As early as 6 in the morning, personnel on duty found it difficult to manage the massive crowd that had gathered at the El Wak Sports Stadium.
More than 2,000 candidates reportedly stood in long lines that extended from the 37 Military Hospital bus stop to the stadium entrance, leading to significant traffic jams in the vicinity.
Accra and Kumasi faced the turbulent event, with several candidates admitted to hospitals in Kumasi, while 14 other regions reportedly conducted the process in a smooth fashion.
According to a report from a hospital official, there are 28 injured individuals, six of whom have died, five in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), and 12 in serious condition.
In the meantime, President John Mahama visited the individuals affected by the rush that took place at the El-Wak Sports Stadium in Accra on November 12, 2025.
He was joined during the visit by the Acting Defence Minister, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, the Minister responsible for Government Communications, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, and members of the military's senior leadership.
The leader was informed by hospital representatives prior to meeting with certain injured individuals.
As per a press statement released by Captain Veronica Adzo Arhin, the Acting Director General of Public Relations for the Ghana Armed Forces, the unfortunate event took place just before the start of the recruitment process around 6:20 a.m.
Initial inquiries suggest that the rush was caused by an unforeseen increase in applicants who violated security measures and rushed toward the gates before the planned check-in. This abrupt action resulted in disorder and several injuries.
"The tragic event resulted in the death of six prospective trainees, with many others sustaining injuries," the statement mentioned. The injured individuals are currently being provided with urgent medical treatment at the 37 Military Hospital in Accra.
The Ghanaian military confirmed to the public that medical personnel are exerting great effort to stabilize those impacted and that plans are being made to inform the families of the deceased.
"The Ghana Armed Forces offers its most heartfelt sympathies to the families of the fallen and hopes for a quick recovery for the injured. More information will be shared," the statement concluded.
The post Scammers, desperation and inadequate crowd management criticized in El Wak stampede appeared first on The Herald ghana.
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