El Wak Stampede Leads to Shake-Up, Officers Supervising Army Recruitment in Accra Removed
- Action has reportedly been taken against the officers who organised the recruitment exercise at El-Wak Sports Stadium
- The Ghana Armed Forces selection process at the arena turned deadly after a stampede killed six and led to 28 injuries
- The military initially blamed the incident on the actions of applicants who allegedly breached the security protocols
Senior military officers who supervised the Ghana Armed Forces recruitment exercise at El-Wak Sports Stadium have been asked to step aside.
This is to pave the way for investigations into the tragic stampede that left six people dead and several others injured.
Source: Facebook
Joy News reported that new commanders have been appointed to take over the recruitment process once it resumes, as part of the steps to ensure transparency and preserve the integrity of the ongoing probe.
The stampede occurred on Wednesday, November 12, during an army recruitment screening at the El Wak Sports Stadium in Accra.
Thousands of hopeful applicants, some of whom had travelled from across the country, began arriving at dawn, long before the scheduled start of the exercise.
A sudden surge at one of the entry gates caused a stampede, leaving six women dead and 28 others injured.
Suspension of army recruitment in Accra
In response, the Ghana Armed Forces announced the suspension of recruitment activities in the Greater Accra Region and constituted a Board of Inquiry to investigate the circumstances leading to the tragedy.
President John Mahama has also directed that the nationwide recruitment exercise be suspended pending the outcome of the investigations.
The Board is expected to examine crowd control measures, the conduct of officers on duty, and overall safety protocols during the exercise.
There was a similar stampede at the Babayara Stadium in Kumasi, where the exercise also took place. Although no deaths were recorded, nearly 20 people were injured.
Army explains cause of El Wak stampede
In the immediate aftermath of the stampede, the army blamed the incident on the breach by applicants who allegedly breached security protocols.
Thousands of applicants had moved to the stadium as part of the body selection process for recruitment into the armed forces.
The army stated that preliminary investigations indicate the stampede was triggered by an unexpected surge of applicants who breached security protocols and rushed into the gates ahead of the scheduled screening.
According to reports, it was only after the stampede that personnel cordoned off the area, with the military blocking all major roads leading to El Wak Stadium to maintain order and facilitate rescue operations.
Source: Facebook
Calls for suspension of Army recruitment nationwide
Assin South MP John Ntim Fordjour called for the Ghana Army's recruitment exercise to be suspended nationwide because of the deaths and injuries.
The government has since only suspended the exercise in the Greater Accra Region despite other safety incidents occurring outside of Accra.
He argued that proper measures needed to be put in place to ensure the safety of potential recruits.
The MP also called for a restructuring of the Army's screening process to ensure that there is less pressure at the centres.
MP demands permanent minister at Defence Ministry
YEN.com.gh also recently reported that Assin South MP John Ntim Fordjour had urged President John Mahama to appoint a new Defence Minister.
He said there was a crisis of leadership at the ministry, given the vacancy made by Edward Omane Boamah's death in the August 6 helicopter crash.
The Minority in Parliament's calls for a permanent replacement have been cast into a stronger light after the El-Wak Stadium stampede tragedy.
Proofreading by Bruce Douglas, copy editor at YEN.com.gh.
Source: YEN.com.gh
