Military Recruitment Stampede Exposes Ghana’s Youth Unemployment Crisis

Six young Ghanaians tragically died, and 34 were injured, during a stampede at a Ghana Armed Forces recruitment exercise yesterday, a stark reminder of the country’s youth unemployment crisis.

Thousands of applicants, desperate for stable jobs, jostled for a chance at enlistment, highlighting the dangerous consequences of mass unemployment. According to the World Bank, over 500,000 young Ghanaians enter the job market annually, yet opportunities remain scarce. Only 13% hold high-quality jobs, while over 53% are in low-skill or informal work.

The tragedy also exposed planning failures. Applicants were not staggered, and there was no online pre-screening to reduce congestion, turning what should have been a safe process into a deadly scramble.

Political exploitation of the incident is inappropriate. Instead, urgent reforms are needed: safe recruitment practices, robust crowd-control, and a national strategy to tackle youth unemployment through job creation, skills development, and entrepreneurship.

Ghana’s youth are not lazy, they are desperate. This tragedy must serve as a wake-up call to prioritize their safety, dignity, and future.