 recruitment exercise at the El-Wak Sports Stadium have been directed to step aside to allow for an independent investigation into the tragic stampede that left six people dead and dozens injured.){kind=link}
Senior military officers who supervised the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) recruitment exercise at the El-Wak Sports Stadium have been directed to step aside to allow for an independent investigation into the tragic stampede that left six people dead and dozens injured.
The directive forms part of swift measures taken by the GAF and the government to ensure accountability, transparency and a thorough review of failures that led to the deadly incident.
As part of the changes, Colonel Kusi Darko has been appointed as the new Director of Personnel Administration, replacing Colonel Matthew Kwasi Asuka, who has been asked to step aside. Additionally, Commodore F.A. Nyarko will now serve as Director General of Human Resources, taking over from Commodore Thomas Nii Fio Okai, who has also been relieved temporarily of his duties.
Following public outrage and growing calls for accountability, the Ghana Armed Forces announced the suspension of all recruitment activities in the Greater Accra Region. A nationwide suspension has also been ordered by President John Mahama pending the outcome of investigations.
The GAF has constituted a Board of Inquiry tasked with examining:
• Crowd control measures employed during the exercise
• Conduct and preparedness of officers on duty
• Safety and emergency response protocols
• Any operational lapses that contributed to the tragedy
The Board will also investigate conditions at the Babayara Stadium in Kumasi, where a similar recruitment stampede occurred. Although no fatalities were recorded there, nearly 20 people sustained injuries.