Non-Applicants Risk Arrest at Recruitment Centres – GAF Warns

 

The Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) has issued a firm warning to the public ahead of the resumption of its recruitment exercise in the Greater Accra Region on Thursday, November 20, 2025.

According to GAF, individuals who are not applicants but attempt to enter recruitment centres risk immediate arrest. The measure is part of broader efforts to prevent a repeat of the tragic incident that occurred on Wednesday, November 12, when a stampede claimed the lives of six young people who had gathered to participate in the recruitment process.

The incident left families devastated and raised serious concerns about crowd management and safety at recruitment venues.

Speaking in an interview on Monday, November 17, Captain Veronica Adzo Arhin, Director General of Public Affairs at GAF, announced that enhanced safety protocols have been put in place to maintain order and reduce overcrowding. Military police personnel will be deployed to all centres to ensure only individuals with valid application documents are granted entry.

She further cautioned that even qualified applicants may be turned away if they arrive outside their allocated reporting time.

“We have beefed up our numbers. Even if you are an applicant and you come at the wrong time, that could lead to your disqualification,” Captain Arhin stated.

She added that the institution is still trying to understand the circumstances that led to the deadly stampede, especially since this year’s recruitment exercise was decentralised across all sixteen regions to reduce congestion.

GAF will wait for the outcome of the Board of Inquiry before making any determinations regarding the cause of the incident.

For now, the military is urging the public to refrain from escorting applicants or gathering around recruitment centres. Officials stress that these measures are necessary to protect lives and ensure the recruitment exercise can proceed safely.

Source: The Ghana Report