CUTS International has called for urgent amendments to Ghana’s Public Order Act following the El Wak Sports Stadium stampede that killed six people during a military recruitment exercise on Wednesday, November 12, 2025, saying the tragedy exposes systemic failures in crowd management and public safety protocols.
The Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) confirmed that six applicants died and 34 others sustained injuries when thousands of eager job seekers surged through stadium gates around 6:20 a.m., breaching security protocols. President John Dramani Mahama later confirmed that all six deceased were young women, triggering nationwide grief and calls for accountability.
CUTS International Accra, a public policy think tank, issued a statement signed by West Africa Regional Director Appiah Kusi Adomako describing the incident as another painful reminder of Ghana’s weak institutional preparedness and poor crowd management systems. The organization has urged Parliament to amend the Public Order Act, 1994 (Act 491) to expand its scope and compel event organizers to meet basic health and safety standards before hosting large gatherings.
“This tragedy once again exposes Ghana’s weak institutional preparedness and poor crowd management systems,” Adomako stated in the release. The legal practitioner noted that from churches and funerals to conferences, schools and job recruitments, large numbers of people continue to gather in poorly planned spaces without safety protocols or emergency exits.
Emergency medical teams from the 37 Military Hospital and the Ghana National Ambulance Service were quickly deployed to provide first aid and evacuate the injured. The victims were rushed to 37 Military Hospital, where medical officials are treating casualties with varying degrees of injury. President Mahama visited the hospital to check on survivors receiving care in the emergency ward and Intensive Care Unit.
The chaos at El Wak, where thousands of desperate job seekers packed tightly under scorching sun, mirrors a worrying pattern across Ghana’s public spaces. CUTS cited the confusion witnessed during this year’s Senior High School reporting exercise, where parents and students queued for over 12 hours, as another example of poor coordination and disregard for citizens’ time and safety.
The current Public Order Act focuses heavily on police roles in approving public gatherings but pays little attention to safety planning, emergency response or the responsibilities of local authorities. CUTS argues this represents a systemic failure rather than an isolated incident, requiring legislative intervention to prevent future tragedies.
CUTS called on the Ministry of Interior to consult widely on amending the Act to expand the definition of “special events” to cover religious, social and sporting gatherings, with organizers legally required to comply with basic safety and security standards. Event premises that fail to meet emergency safety standards should be closed down until remedial measures are implemented.
The organization wants Parliament to mandate that venues must have multiple emergency exits, functional fire systems, visible signage and periodic evacuation drills before receiving approval to host public events. Many halls and auditoriums currently operate with only one entry and exit point, turning them into potential death traps during emergencies.
CUTS recommended that the Police and Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs) should have clear authority to enforce crowd safety measures in public places, including churches, mosques and conventions. The Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) should develop a safety compliance framework for adoption, with venues that fail inspections closed until they comply.
Drawing inspiration from international best practices, CUTS cited the United Kingdom’s Safety of Sports Grounds Act and India’s National Disaster Management Authority rules as examples Ghana can learn from. Both legal frameworks mandate safety certificates, venue capacity limits and onsite medical services before major events take place.
Beyond regulation, CUTS believes technology can help prevent overcrowding. The organization points to the Passport Office’s online appointment system as a success story in reducing congestion and improving efficiency. Similar digital booking systems should be adopted by other agencies to control crowd size and ensure safety.
“Whilst the Ghana Armed Forces has decentralized its recruitment, it could have set a daily threshold by refusing entry to the venue once the designated capacity is reached,” the statement noted. The deployment of technology would allow agencies to set capacity limits and deny entry once venues reach maximum occupancy.
CUTS argues that time and safety must now be treated as fundamental consumer rights in Ghana. Spending long hours in queues or risking lives in unsafe environments reflects poor institutional respect for citizens and inadequate public service delivery standards.
The Ghana Armed Forces announced temporary suspension of the recruitment exercise in Greater Accra while a Board of Inquiry investigates the circumstances that led to the unfortunate incident. The recruitment process in the other 15 regions will continue as scheduled, with new dates for Greater Accra to be communicated later.
Witnesses described the scene as terrifying, with desperate screams filling the air as people fell and were crushed beneath the weight of the crowd. Preliminary accounts from military insiders suggest that only one side of the double metal gate was opened when screening began, creating a bottleneck as thousands of applicants surged forward.
Naval Captain Veronica Adzo Arhin, Acting Director of Public Relations, confirmed that an internal investigation had been launched to determine circumstances that led to the incident and prevent recurrence in future recruitment exercises. Security has been tightened at recruitment centers across the country, with authorities reviewing crowd control measures.
The Minority in Parliament has called for immediate suspension of the ongoing recruitment exercise nationwide. Ranking member of Parliament’s Defence and Interior Committee John Ntim Fordjour demanded a full investigation into circumstances that led to the regrettable incident, noting that accountability and reform are necessary to restore public confidence.
Human rights advocates and labor groups are calling on government to reassess the recruitment process, citing rising youth unemployment as a key factor driving desperate turnouts at such events. Many Ghanaians have drawn parallels to previous recruitment related incidents where large crowds overwhelmed security personnel.
CUTS emphasized that public safety should not depend on luck or sympathy after a tragedy occurs. “We need a law that demands accountability before lives are lost, not after,” Adomako stressed. The organization called for a comprehensive National Policy on Crowd Management, Emergency Preparedness and Service Efficiency.
The think tank urged government not to let this tragedy fade away like others before it. “We must not let these innocent job seekers die in vain,” the director stated. “We owe it to them to fix our broken system. A strong national framework that enforces planning, simulation and accountability will save lives and restore public confidence.”
The El Wak tragedy was followed hours later by another stampede at Baba Yara Stadium in Kumasi during military screening exercises, leaving five people injured. The back to back incidents have intensified calls for comprehensive reform of recruitment processes and public event management protocols.
Social media platforms have been flooded with tributes to the deceased and calls for systemic change. Many Ghanaians questioned why digital systems were not deployed to manage the recruitment process in batches, preventing the dangerous overcrowding that led to fatal consequences.
The tragedy has reignited debates about institutional capacity, youth unemployment pressures driving desperate job seeking behavior, and the urgent need for modernization of public service delivery systems. Critics argue that the deaths represent profound systemic failure rather than merely a tragic accident.
CUTS concluded by calling on Cabinet and Parliament to ensure that any amendments to the Public Order Act incorporate comprehensive safety standards, clear enforcement mechanisms and accountability measures. The organization expressed hope that legislative reforms would prevent future tragedies and demonstrate genuine respect for citizens’ lives and wellbeing.
The Ghana Armed Forces faces mounting pressure to explain how a process meant to identify and enlist disciplined recruits devolved into chaos claiming young lives. As investigations proceed, stakeholders across civil society, Parliament and security institutions continue demanding answers and concrete reforms to ensure such preventable tragedies never recur.
