Lieutenant General William Agyapong, Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), has assured Ghanaians that the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) has learned from last week’s deadly stampede at El-Wak Sports Stadium and implemented measures to improve safety and efficiency during recruitment.
Speaking to JoyNews, the CDS said the revised process has reduced crowding and is running smoothly. “Only non-applicants should get to the venue. But that has reduced the crowd level, and so things are going smoothly,” he explained.
He also provided an update on those injured in the tragic incident, noting that they are receiving proper medical care. “For the unfortunate ones who got injured, they are receiving medical treatment at 37 Military Hospital. Some of them go in and out, and those still on admission are being taken care of well,” he added.
Addressing the families of the six young girls who lost their lives, Lt. Gen. Agyapong expressed condolences on behalf of the GAF.
“I want to use this opportunity to convey to the bereaved family of the six young girls that on behalf of the Ghana Armed Forces, we want to come straight with them and to say that their souls rest in peace,” he said.
He further stressed that the lessons learned from the recruitment exercise will guide future operations. “This has told us that we need to do things differently moving on. From the next possible recruitment session, we will come out with measures that make this process more seamless than it has been,” he noted.
The GAF has assured applicants and the public that safety, efficiency, and fairness remain priorities as the recruitment process continues.