Tragic Crush at Military Recruitment Event in Ghana Claims Six Lives

Wed Nov 12 2025 19:23:12 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

A crowd surge at a military recruitment event in Accra led to a devastating crush, resulting in at least six fatalities and multiple injuries.

A military recruitment event in Accra, Ghana, turned tragic when a sudden surge of applicants overwhelmed security measures. At least six individuals lost their lives, with 22 others injured, highlighting the challenges of youth unemployment in the country.

At least six people have died during a crowd crush at a military recruitment event in a stadium in Ghana.

Wednesday's tragic crush appeared to have been caused by an unexpected surge of applicants who breached security protocols and rushed into the gates, said a statement from Ghana's armed forces.

Twenty-two others were injured, including five who remain in critical condition.

Thousands had turned up to El-Wak stadium in the capital, Accra, with hopes of joining the military.

Ghana has a youth unemployment rate of around 32%, according to the latest government statistics, making such recruitment events particularly appealing to the youth, thus often leading to chaotic situations.

The deadline to apply for this event had been extended by a week to allow more individuals to join due to previous difficulties faced in the application process.

Army spokesperson Capt Veronica Adzo Arhin indicated that the crush happened prior to the event's scheduled start at 06:20 GMT. Fortunately, calm has been restored and the recruitment exercise has commenced now.