Source: Africa Publicity
Former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has expressed deep sorrow over the tragic deaths of six young Ghanaian women who lost their lives in a stampede during the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) recruitment exercise at the El-Wak Sports Stadium in Accra on Wednesday, November 12, 2025.
In a statement posted on his official Facebook page upon returning from Angola, the former president said:
“I returned from Angola to the devastating news of the tragic deaths of six potential recruits into the Ghana Armed Forces, with several others receiving treatment for varying degrees of injuries sustained from the incident, at the 37 Military Hospital in Accra.”
He extended heartfelt sympathy to the grieving families and wished the injured a speedy recovery.
“I convey to the bereaved families my deep condolences and wish the potential recruits in hospital a rapid recovery from their injuries, and indeed, from the accompanying trauma to all who were at the El Wak stadium, their parents or guardians and their loved ones. It is my hope that each day will bring you renewed strength,” Akufo-Addo wrote.
He ended his message with words of comfort, saying,
“May the Lord be with us all at this difficult moment.”
Tragedy
The tragedy occurred when military job seekers crowded the military-owned El-Wak Sports Stadium in Accra for the Ghana Armed Forces recruitment exercise. The large turnout reportedly led to a deadly stampede, claiming six lives and leaving several others injured.
President John Dramani Mahama, who confirmed the incident while speaking at the Nkoko Nkitinkiti Poultry Initiative in Kumasi on Wednesday, described the deaths as a “heartbreaking loss for the entire nation.”
“The tragic news is that I have been informed by the military that six young women, who simply sought an opportunity to serve their nation, lost their lives in this heartbreaking incident. We are praying for 12 others who remain in critical condition,” President Mahama said.
Following his return to Accra, President Mahama visited the injured victims at the 37 Military Hospital, where the Ghana Armed Forces confirmed that a total of 28 applicants had been admitted for emergency treatment.
According to GAF, six were confirmed dead, five remain in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), and twelve others are in critical condition.
The incident has led the Ghana Armed Forces to suspend its ongoing recruitment exercise.
President Mahama has called for a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the tragedy and urged the implementation of improved safety measures during public recruitment and other national events.
The nation remains in mourning as families, leaders, and citizens grapple with the loss of six young women whose aspirations to serve Ghana were cut short in the devastating incident.
