The government has announced that families of the six applicants who lost their lives in Wednesday’s stampede at El-Wak Stadium will be offered automatic recruitment slots into the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) for qualified relatives.
The directive follows a tragic incident during a GAF recruitment exercise, where hundreds of eager applicants surged through the stadium gates for documentation and physical screening, resulting in six deaths and several injuries.
Deputy Minister of Defence, Ernest Brogya Genfi, disclosed the President’s instruction while visiting one of the bereaved families at Eyan Maim in the Central Region.
“President John Dramani Mahama has directed that each affected family submits the name of a qualified relative for immediate recruitment into the Ghana Armed Forces,” he stated.
Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection, Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, described the incident as “deeply heartbreaking” and assured that the state will provide befitting burials for all six victims in recognition of their aspiration to serve the nation.
A preliminary inquiry by GAF revealed that the stampede was triggered when applicants breached security protocols and forced their way through the gates before the scheduled time.
The government’s gesture is intended to honour the memories of the deceased and demonstrate its commitment to supporting the affected families.