NPP conference injuries: African Electoral Institute warns political parties over crowd safety

The African Electoral Institute (AEI) has warned political parties to strengthen crowd-safety measures after injuries were recorded at the New Patriotic Party (NPP) National Delegates Conference.

In its secondary observation report on the conference held at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium in Kumasi on Saturday, October 3, the AEI said crowd surges occurred around entry points during the event.

“AEI’s observations indicate that crowd surges occurred around entry points and that an incident described as a stampede resulted in injuries to several individuals,” the institute said.

The AEI said at least three people were affected, including an individual who reportedly sustained a fracture and required evacuation for medical attention.

“There were also reported difficulties in moving emergency vehicles through congested areas of the venue,” it added.

The institute said the incident highlighted the need for safety planning that is proportional to the size of crowds expected at major political gatherings.

It recommended that political parties and organisers of future mass events undertake formal post-event safety assessments, particularly where crowd surges or medical emergencies occur.

The AEI also called for controlled entry and exit points, emergency lanes, adequate medical response capacity and clear communication procedures as part of crowd-management arrangements.

The institute further reported the collapse of a large campaign billboard associated with a National Chairman aspirant at the Heroes Park section of the stadium.

According to the AEI, the structure fell onto vehicles and damaged four vehicles, although no casualties were reported.

It said the incident underscored the importance of properly securing and inspecting temporary structures, campaign installations and advertising materials at high-density political events.

Despite the safety concerns, the AEI described the conference as largely successful and congratulated the NPP on the organisation of the event.

John Boadu was elected National Chairman, while Justin Frimpong Kodua retained the position of General Secretary.

The AEI said the conference demonstrated the NPP’s grassroots mobilisation and organisational capacity but also exposed operational weaknesses involving programme delays, communication and temporary infrastructure.