Mahama orders suspension of Armed Forces recruitment after deaths, injuries

President John Dramani Mahama has ordered the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) to suspend its ongoing nationwide recruitment exercise following reports of deaths and injuries at centres in Accra and Kumasi.

The directive, he said, would allow for a comprehensive investigation into the incidents and ensure that future exercises are conducted under safer and more controlled conditions.

Addressing guests at the launch of the Nkoko Nkitinkiti programme in the Ashanti Region, President Mahama described the events as “deeply regrettable” and called for urgent reforms to prevent similar tragedies.

“I have instructed the leadership of the Armed Forces to temporarily suspend the recruitment exercise and conduct a full investigation. We must adopt a better approach to ensure such incidents do not occur again,” he stated.

Reports from multiple centres suggest that thousands of applicants had gathered as early as dawn, leading to overcrowding and chaotic scenes. In some locations, including El-Wak Sports Stadium in Accra and the Kumasi Baba Yara Stadium, several applicants reportedly collapsed during the screening process.

The GAF confirmed that six people died during the El-Wak incident on Wednesday, November 12, and urged the public to ignore false reports circulating on social media about the casualty figures.

President Mahama said the safety and dignity of applicants must take precedence over all other considerations, emphasising that military recruitment should be marked by professionalism and respect for human life.

He further directed the Defence Ministry and the Armed Forces to re-examine their crowd control and screening measures before resuming the exercise.

The suspension comes amid public criticism of how mass recruitment drives are managed, particularly those conducted by the security services, which often draw huge crowds due to high youth unemployment and limited job opportunities.