Recruitment Stampede: FOSDA Calls for Accountability Over Six Women’s Death

Accra: The Foundation for Security and Development in Africa (FOSDA) has expressed its deepest condolences and profound outrage over the tragic deaths of six young women during the 2025/2026 Ghana Armed Forces recruitment exercise. The sad event took place at the El-Wak Sports Stadium in Accra on November 13, 2025. According to Ghana News Agency, FOSDA condemned the incident as unacceptable, highlighting serious questions about the organisation, safety measures, and accountability surrounding the recruitment process. In a statement, FOSDA emphasized the need for safeguarding the lives and dignity of citizens, particularly young people seeking jobs and to serve their nation. The statement detailed FOSDA's condemnation of the circumstances leading to the tragedy, underscoring the urgent need for institutional accountability, transparency, and comprehensive reforms to prevent recurrence. FOSDA stressed that no recruitment process should expose participants to life-threatening conditions or compromise their bas ic safety and wellbeing. FOSDA called on the Ghana Armed Forces, the Ministry of Defence, and other relevant state agencies to immediately commission an independent and transparent investigation into the events leading to these deaths. The findings of such an inquiry, it urged, must be made public, and any lapses in planning, crowd management, or medical preparedness must be addressed with the seriousness they deserve. The organisation urged the Government of Ghana to provide adequate psychosocial and financial support to the affected families. Additionally, FOSDA insisted that clear protocols and safety standards be instituted and enforced in all future recruitment and public service exercises involving large gatherings, especially of youth. As an organisation dedicated to advancing human security, accountability, and sustainable development in Africa, FOSDA reaffirmed that the protection of human life must remain paramount in all state and institutional activities. The tragic loss, it said, should serve as a wake-up call for systemic reforms that prioritise people's safety and dignity above bureaucratic convenience. FOSDA extended heartfelt sympathies to the bereaved families and communities, standing in solidarity with them and all Ghanaians demanding justice, accountability, and the assurance that such preventable tragedies will never occur again.