Gov’t grants military slots to families of El-Wak stampede victims

The government has asked the families of six women who died in the El-Wak Stadium stampede to submit names of qualified relatives for recruitment into the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF).

This was announced by the Deputy Defence Minister Ernest Brogya Genfi during a visit to the family of one of the victims at Eyan Maim in the Central Region to commiserate with them.

The Deputy Minister conveyed the President’s condolences to the family and informed them of President Mahama’s decision to provide an automatic slot for the bereaved families.

“Due to what happened, the recruitment in Accra has been suspended by the President, so that we will ensure that measures are put in place to avoid a repeat of such incidents.”

“The President has sent us to inform you that the State will stand with the families in the burial and funeral arrangements for the families. The President has also asked us to inform you that all those who wanted to wear the military uniform but died in the process, their families should present a replacement for those people to be absorbed into the military.

“So, the authorities representing the government in the region will engage you in that regard for the family to decide on who can be enrolled into the military,” he said.

The stampede occurred as thousands of young Ghanaians thronged the stadium in a bid to enlist in the Armed Forces. The large crowd, coupled with intense jostling at entry points, sparked chaos, resulting in multiple injuries and fatalities.

The military confirmed six deaths, with 28 people admitted to the 37 Military Hospital for treatment. Of these, five are in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), while 12 remain in critical condition.