President John Dramani Mahama has directed the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) to suspend its ongoing nationwide recruitment exercise following tragic incidents that left six people dead and several others injured in Accra and Kumasi.
Speaking at the launch of the Nkoko Nkitinkiti programme in the Ashanti Region, the President described the incidents as “deeply regrettable” and called for an immediate review of the recruitment process. He said the temporary suspension would allow authorities to investigate the circumstances that led to the casualties and to ensure that future exercises are conducted under safer conditions.
“I have asked the leadership of the Armed Forces to temporarily halt the recruitment exercise and conduct a full investigation. We must take a fresh approach to ensure such unfortunate incidents do not happen again,” President Mahama stated.
The recruitment drive, which attracted thousands of applicants nationwide, reportedly turned chaotic at several centres. In Accra and Kumasi, overcrowding led to stampedes, with several young people collapsing while attempting to gain entry to the venues.
The Ghana Armed Forces confirmed that six people lost their lives during the incident at the El-Wak Sports Stadium on Wednesday, November 12, and urged the public to disregard false reports circulating online about the death toll.
President Mahama emphasized that the safety of prospective recruits must remain paramount and urged the Defence Ministry and the GAF to review their crowd management and screening procedures before resuming the exercise.
The directive follows widespread public concern over the conduct of mass recruitment events in Ghana’s security services, which often attract large turnouts amid high youth unemployment and limited job opportunities.
