Human Rights Lawyer Demands Justice After El‑Wak Stampede
Human rights lawyer Kofi Agyei has demanded an immediate probe into the deaths of six young women in the El‑Wak Sports Stadium recruitment stampede that occurred on 12 November in Accra.
The stampede unfolded when thousands of hopeful applicants gathered at the stadium to enrol in the Ghana Army, and chaos led to a tragic crush that claimed at least six lives, all women, alongside dozens of injuries.
In a statement copied to the Ghana News Agency in Sunyani, Mr. Agyei said the young ladies “met their untimely deaths under very tragic, bizarre and cruel circumstances without any fault of theirs or their parents.” He added that “they have been painfully lost to family and nation through the ineptitude and cluelessness of certain officials.”
Agyei warned that officials responsible for the recruitment “cannot be allowed to sweep this tragedy under the carpet and go scot‑free.” He questioned what lesson is being sent to future state officers if disciplinary action is not taken.
On 2 December, Deputy Minister for Defence Brogya Genfi announced a compensation package of GH₵50,000 for funeral expenses and GH₵100,000 as a lump‑sum payout to the families of the deceased.
While the financial assistance is welcomed, Agyei described the amount as “woefully inadequate and ridiculously low,” arguing that no sum can replace lost lives and that the offer is demeaning to the memory of the victims.
The lawyer also called for state‑level burials to honour the six women as national heroines, asserting that such recognition would demonstrate that Ghana “is worth dying for” and that the nation respects the dignity of its fallen heroes.
As of now, it remains unclear whether the officers deemed negligent have been removed from duty or face disciplinary measures. Agyei and other civil‑society groups continue to press the government for a transparent investigation and appropriate accountability.
Any update on the probe or further compensation will be closely monitored, as Ghanaians await answers that could restore confidence in state institutions and ensure such a tragedy does not recur.
Image Source: MYJOYONLINE
