GAF Issues Stern Warning Ahead of Recruitment Resumption: Non-Applicants Will Be Arrested
The Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) has drawn a hard line: anyone who shows up at the El-Wak Sports Stadium on Thursday, November 20, 2025, without being a verified applicant will be arrested and handed over to the police.
The warning comes just days before the suspended Greater Accra recruitment exercise resumes, following the tragic stampede on November 12 that claimed six lives.
Speaking on Citi FM’s Eyewitness News, Director-General of Public Affairs Captain Veronica Adzo Arhin was unequivocal:
“If you are a non-applicant, we appeal to the public not to try coming here. We will not allow you in.
If it becomes necessary to arrest you and hand you over to the police, we will do so.
Even if you are an applicant and you come at the wrong time, that could lead to disqualification.”
New Security Measures
Military police numbers have been massively reinforced
Only applicants with valid confirmation slips and scheduled times will be admitted
Parents, friends, and well-wishers are strictly barred from the premises
Entry will be strictly controlled with biometric verification
Captain Arhin expressed bewilderment at last week’s chaos, noting that this year’s recruitment was fully decentralised to all 16 regions — a first in GAF history — yet thousands still converged on El-Wak.
“We are still at a loss as to what triggered the stampede. We have handled large numbers before, but there has always been orderliness,” she said.
The GAF is awaiting the final report from the Board of Inquiry before releasing full findings.
Applicants in Greater Accra are urged to:
Check their exact reporting date and time via SMS or the official portal
Arrive not more than 30 minutes early
Come alone — no escorts allowed
The Military High Command has made it clear: this time, there will be zero tolerance for disorder.
Thursday, November 20, will be a test of discipline — for both applicants and the GAF itself.
