BY Issah Olegor
The Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) has resumed its 2025/2026 recruitment exercise in the Greater Accra Region at the El-Wak Sports Stadium following a temporary suspension triggered by a tragic stampede on 11 November 2025 that claimed the lives of six female applicants and left several others injured.
Further reports also confirmed that few others have been arrested in other regions and handed over to the Police.
Regards to that, the GAF is yet to issue an official statement on it.
The resumption, which began on Thursday, 20 November 2025, has been accompanied by significant safety and organisational adjustments to prevent a recurrence of the previous chaos.
The recruitment, which draws thousands of young Ghanaians seeking to enlist in the Ghana Armed Forces, now operates under a more structured and controlled system.
Eight screening centres have been set up across El-Wak Stadium, Nicholson Park, the Air Force Base, TRADOC in Teshie, and the Eastern Naval Command in Tema. Applicants are processed in batches of 600, guided through biometric checks, documentation verification, and physical assessments, with chairs provided along the screening lanes for resting—one of the key safety recommendations following the stampede.
In a development highlighting ongoing security vigilance, the GAF confirmed the arrest of one individual for forging documents during the resumed exercise.
Colonel Evelyn Asamoah, Director of Protocol for the Armed Forces, stated that the suspect had been apprehended by security authorities and would face disciplinary action in line with established military procedures.
Parliamentary oversight has also been active in the process. James Agalga, Chairman of the Defence and Interior Committee of Parliament, led a monitoring team to the El-Wak centre, accompanied by Chief of Defence Staff, Lt Gen William Agyapong, to inspect the exercise.
Agalga expressed satisfaction with the orderly conduct of the resumed recruitment, noting that improved crowd management, adherence to batch reporting, and enhanced supervision by senior military officials had made the process significantly safer than before the suspension.
The resumption follows direct instructions from President John Dramani Mahama, who ordered a temporary halt to allow the GAF to reassess safety protocols, restructure the screening process, and prevent overcrowding.
This is part of broader measures that include the replacement of the Greater Accra recruitment team with new commanders, ensuring accountability and professionalism during the recruitment exercise.
As of 20 November, nearly 1,000 candidates have successfully gone through the recruitment exercise at the newly organised centres. Families and friends of applicants are strictly prohibited from entering the screening areas to minimize congestion, reflecting lessons learned from the tragic incident earlier in the month.
Additionally, the Armed Forces plans to offer special recruitment packages for both the injured and the families of those who lost their lives during the stampede.
