BY Grace Zigah
Former Attorney General and anti-corruption campaigner, Martin A.B.K. Amidu, has publicly condemned President John Mahama and the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) leadership for the tragic stampede at the El-Wak Sports Stadium on 12 November 2025, which resulted in the deaths of six young women and left 12 others in critical condition.
Amidu described the stampede as “self-inflicted and avoidable”, asserting that the incident was a direct consequence of executive leadership prioritizing political image over public safety.
In a detailed statement, he held President Mahama, as Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, fully responsible for the fatalities and injuries, arguing that poor planning and political interference in the military hierarchy were at the root of the disaster.
The stampede occurred during the annual GAF recruitment exercise, which saw thousands of applicants converged at El-Wak Stadium in Accra. Reports from Parliament, as highlighted by Finance Minister and Acting Defence Minister Ato Forson on 13 November 2025, confirmed that 34 casualties were recorded, including six deaths. Of those hospitalized, five were in ICU, 12 were in critical condition, and the remaining were under observation.
Martin Amidu criticized what he described as politicization of the military, citing the replacement of senior one-star generals with politically loyal officers.
He contended that these changes compromised professional standards and operational oversight, contributing to the chaos at both El-Wak and other recruitment exercises in regional capitals.
He further condemned the government’s blame-shifting narrative, which suggested that the stampede was triggered by applicants breaching security protocols.
Amidu labeled this explanation as insensitive, asserting that the youth had no control over venue arrangements or crowd management.
He noted that GAF had conducted similar regional recruitment exercises under previous administrations without any deaths or major injuries, emphasizing that the El-Wak Stadium had historically been a controlled recruitment site.
Highlighting infrastructural challenges, Martin Amidu pointed to the El-Wak venue’s inadequate space, with its proximity to heavily trafficked roads and nearby landmarks, making it unsuitable for the large number of recruits present.
He argued that common sense and prior experience should have alerted organizers to the high risk of fatalities and injuries, and that the government’s failure to address these risks reflected poor leadership.
Amidu, the immediate past Special Prosecutor also criticized the government’s response to bereaved families, calling the offer of replacement with military slots and funeral support a superficial attempt to compensate for a preventable tragedy.
He emphasized that this approach quantifies human life inappropriately and reflects a lack of humility and accountability from both the President and the Defence Ministry.
The former AG also questioned the choice of 12 November 2025 for the recruitment exercise, coinciding with the anniversary of the passing of NDC founder Jerry John Rawlings, describing it as disrespectful to the historical significance of the day.
Martin Amidu however, urged President Mahama, the Acting Defence Minister, and the GAF High Command to publicly accept responsibility, issue sincere apologies to the bereaved families, and take steps to prevent future tragedies.
He stressed that transparency and accountability are essential to restoring public trust in the recruitment process and governance.
