Category: Daily Guide Network

Six female potential recruits of the Ghana Armed Forces’ 2025/2026 have been confirmed dead following the tragic stampede that occurred yesterday at the El-Wak Sports Stadium in Accra.

The incident also left 22 other potential recruits injured. Out of the number, five individuals have been admitted at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), 12 remain in critical condition, while the rest are in stable condition at the 37 Military Hospital.

In all, 28 casualties were recorded, although their identities are yet to be announced by GAF officials.

The stampede occurred around 6:20am when an unexpected surge of applicants breached security protocols and forced their way through the gates ahead of the scheduled screening at the El-Wak Sports Stadium, in a desperate bid to enlist in the Ghana Armed Forces.

A statement, signed by Captain Veronica Adzo Arhin, Acting Director General of Public Relations (Ghana Navy), confirmed that the injured are receiving emergency medical attention at the 37 Military Hospital.

She assured the public that medical teams are working tirelessly to stabilise those affected, while arrangements are being made to notify the families of the deceased.

Mahama Visits Victims

Following the tragic stampede, President John Mahama visited the victims who sustained injuries at the 37 Military Hospital.

President Mahama was accompanied by Acting Defence Minister, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson and Minister of State in charge of Government Communications, Felix Kwakye Ofosu.

He expressed deep sorrow over the incident and announced the immediate suspension of the ongoing recruitment exercises in Accra to allow for a new comprehensive review of the process.

NGOs Call

Many non-governmental organisations (NGOs) have condemned the poor crowd management and emergency preparedness by officials of GAF, which has claimed the lives of six potential recruits.

Policy think tank, CUTS International Accra, has called on Parliament to amend the Public Order Act, 1994 (Act 491), to include stricter health and safety requirements for public event organisers following the tragic stampede at the El-Wak Stadium during the military recruitment exercise.

A statement signed by West Africa Regional Director of CUTS International, Appiah Kusi Adomako, expressed sadness over the deaths, describing the tragedy as another reminder of the country’s weak institutional systems.

‘This tragedy once again exposes Ghana’s poor preparedness and lack of effective crowd control systems,’ the statement said and added, ‘From churches and funerals to schools and job recruitments, large gatherings continue to take place in unsafe spaces without proper safety protocols or emergency exits.’

Sammy Daniels, the brother of Nollywood actress Regina Daniels, has been granted bail in the sum of ?5 million after spending several days in detention.

According to reports, Sammy was granted bail on Monday, November 10, 2025, following his remand by a Dutse Magistrate Court last Thursday. He was initially held at Keffi Prison before being transferred to Suleja Prison.

Confirming his release, Sammy’s elder brother, who goes by the handle @Sweezzy1 on Instagram, shared the news on his Instagram story. He wrote: ‘Sammy, you are a great man. Bail has been granted! Nigerians, thank you.’

Sammy’s arrest reportedly stemmed from issues connected to the ongoing controversy surrounding Senator Ned Nwoko and his wife, actress Regina Daniels. He was taken into custody in Lagos about a week ago over his alleged involvement in the couple’s public fallout.

A tragic stampede occurred early today at the El-Wak Sports Stadium in Accra during the commencement of the Ghana Armed Forces’ 2025/2026 recruitment exercise, resulting in the death of six potential recruits and injuries to many others.

In a press release issued by the Department of Public Relations of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF), preliminary investigations revealed that the stampede was triggered when an unexpected surge of applicants breached security protocols and rushed through the gates ahead of the scheduled screening time.

The statement, signed by Captain Veronica Adzo Arhin, Acting Director General of Public Relations (Ghana Navy), confirmed that the injured are receiving emergency medical attention at the 37 Military Hospital.

She assured the public that medical teams are working tirelessly to stabilise those affected, while arrangements are being made to notify the families of the deceased.

‘The Ghana Armed Forces deeply regrets to inform the general public of this tragic incident,’ the release stated. ‘We extend our deepest condolences to the families of the deceased and wish a swift recovery to those injured.’

The GAF also emphasised its commitment to ensuring safety and order in future recruitment exercises and pledged to provide further updates as investigations continue.

Chelsea defender Trevoh Chalobah and Manchester City keeper James Trafford have been called up to the England squad following the withdrawals of Newcastle United’s Anthony Gordon and Nick Pope.

Newcastle manager Eddie Howe said both winger Gordon (hip) and goalkeeper Pope (concussion) would withdraw from the squad and the Football Association confirmed this on Tuesday.

Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi, who suffered a foot injury in his side’s Conference League win over AZ Alkmaar last week, has joined up with manager Thomas Tuchel’s squad and ‘will continue to be assessed in the coming days’.

England’s final World Cup qualifiers are against Albania and Serbia, with the Three Lions having already qualified for next summer’s tournament.

Chalobah earned his first call-up under Tuchel in May and made his debut against Senegal.

In September, Tuchel said the 26-year-old was unfortunate to be left out of the squad for qualifiers against Andorra and Serbia, and he also did not call him up for the subsequent October international break.

Tuchel has been an important figure in Chalobah’s career, having given him his Chelsea debut in 2021.

Chalobah has featured in all but four matches for Chelsea this season, with the club third in the Premier League, in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals and in the league phase of the Champions League.

England squad

Goalkeepers: Dean Henderson (Crystal Palace), Jordan Pickford (Everton), James Trafford (Manchester City)

Defenders: Dan Burn (Newcastle United), Trevoh Chalobah (Chelsea), Marc Guehi (Crystal Palace), Reece James (Chelsea), Ezri Konsa (Aston Villa), Nico O’Reilly (Manchester City), Jarell Quansah (Bayer Leverkusen), Djed Spence (Tottenham Hotspur), John Stones (Manchester City)

Midfielders: Elliot Anderson (Nottingham Forest), Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid), Jordan Henderson (Brentford), Declan Rice (Arsenal), Morgan Rogers (Aston Villa), Alex Scott (Bournemouth), Adam Wharton (Crystal Palace)

Forwards: Jarrod Bowen (West Ham United), Eberechi Eze (Arsenal), Phil Foden (Manchester City), Harry Kane (Bayern Munich), Marcus Rashford (Barcelona, loan from Manchester United), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal).

The Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod), in collaboration with the GoldBod Taskforce and National Security operatives, have arrested 25 individuals, including Ghanaians and foreign nationals, for allegedly engaging in illegal gold trading, smelting, and assaying.

Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Gold Board, Richard Nunekpeku, told the media yesterday in Accra that the arrests followed two separate intelligence-led operations conducted at Dome Pillar 2 and Akweteyman-Achimota in Accra.

He said the operations led to the seizure of over GHS64,000 and USD112,500 in cash, along with several gold bars and other valuable exhibits believed to have been used in the illegal trade.

The Deputy CEO also confirmed that all the suspects have been granted police inquiry bail, with some already arraigned before the court, while others remain under investigation.

Mr. Nunekpeku expressed GoldBod’s commitment to sanitise the country’s gold sector, while cautioning individuals and entities operating without licences to desist from such unlawful activities.

He further stated that the Ghana Gold Board, in collaboration with national security agencies, will intensify surveillance and enforcement efforts to safeguard the country’s mineral resources and uphold full compliance with mining regulations.

Ghanaian music sensation, Black Sherif, has clarified that he has not joined the internationally acclaimed occult group ‘Illuminati’, following rumours circulating on social media linking him to the secret society.

Speaking in an interview on Guide Radio’s ‘Up and Running’ breakfast show hosted by Abena Soreno and Thomas Arthur, the BET Award winner stated that he is not a member of the illuminati group.

‘I’m not illuminati. You know us as human being we be spiritual not illuminati. What you see is gangstafara (sic),’ he said.

Following the release of the ‘Iron Boy’ album cover picture and animation, Black Sherif has been the subject of discussions and online rumours regarding the ‘Illuminati’ secret society, with some social media users speculating that he has links to the group.

The dark and mysterious aesthetic of the cover art and trailer led to speculation about the album’s themes and Black Sherif’s alleged affiliation with the secret society. His team and commentators have generally dismissed these claims as marketing strategies or internet speculation.

However, Black Sherif has addressed the rumours, clarifying that he is not part of the Illuminati. In an interview, he explained that the album’s title, ‘Iron Boy,’ is a tribute to Ghanaian highlife pioneer Amakye Dede, who had an album with the same name.

Black Sherif stated that the album is about resilience, toughness, and freedom, reflecting his personal journey and experiences.

Chief Justice Nominee, Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie, has proposed for the country’s general elections to be held on November 7 instead of the traditional December 7 date.

He believes the shift would give the courts enough time to resolve election petitions before the swearing-in of a new president.

Appearing before Parliament’s Appointments Committee on Monday, November 10, 2025, Justice Baffoe-Bonnie explained that the one-month gap between the December 7 polls and the January 7 inauguration is too short for the proper hearing and determination of electoral disputes.

He said that the experience from past election petitions shows that the current timeframe puts pressure on the judiciary and could undermine confidence in the electoral process.

‘After the election petition, we came to the conclusion that petitions should be concluded before January 7, which is the inauguration day. The best suggestion that came up was to hold elections on November 7 or 8,’ he noted.

According to him, if elections are conducted in early November, results could be declared by November 10, allowing nearly two months for any petitions to be filed, heard and determined before the new administration takes office.

‘Assuming we go by the 42-day window provided under CI 99, petitions can be filed, responded to and tried within that period,’ he added.

Justice Baffoe-Bonnie further proposed the adoption of electronic service of court documents to speed up the petition process. He said the manual system of personally serving respondents often causes unnecessary delays.

‘In this age, we can use digital addresses or phone numbers for online contact. If petitions are served electronically, it can take three days instead of a week,’ he explained.

He emphasised that with the election date moved to November and digital processes introduced, all electoral petitions could be completed before the end of December, ensuring both fairness and efficiency in the country’s electoral justice system.

FORMER HEARTS of Oak management member Aziz Haruna Futa has called on the club’s hierarchy to commit to a long-term project under head coach Didi Dramani, urging leadership to give him at least six years to rebuild the team.

Dramani, a former Black Stars assistant coach, took over earlier this season following the exit of Aboubakar Ouattara. Since his appointment, he has led the Phobians to fifth place on the Ghana Premier League table, recording four wins, four draws, and just one defeat-against bitter rivals Asante Kotoko.

Aziz Futa, who once served as the club’s Supporters’ Chief, expressed strong confidence in Dramani’s ability to restore Hearts of Oak to their former glory.

‘Didi Dramani is not a bad coach,’ he said. ‘He needs time and a project. The club needs a project, whether six years or more, so the coach can work.’

Hearts of Oak will look to return to winning ways when they travel to the Swedru Sports Stadium to face Swedru All Blacks on November 15.

The Accra giants are pushing to reclaim the Ghana Premier League title, which they last lifted in 2021-their only league triumph since 2009.

The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, has formally apologised on behalf of Parliament to members of the judiciary following what he described as ‘discourteous’ behaviour by some Members of Parliament (MPs) during the vetting of the Chief Justice nominee on Monday.

Addressing the House yesterday, Mr. Bagbin said his attention had been drawn to comments and conduct exhibited by certain MPs during the Appointments Committee’s proceedings, which may have appeared disrespectful to members of the judiciary who were in attendance.

‘Such conduct, though not representative of the collective will of Parliament, is regrettable and inconsistent with the decorum expected of Members under the Standing Orders of Parliament,’ he said.

The Speaker emphasised that Parliament’s Standing Orders require members to maintain order and civility both in the House and in committee sittings, refraining from the use of offensive, insulting, or unbecoming language.

He particularly cited Order 123(3), which cautions members against imputing improper motives or using words likely to cause offence.

Mr. Bagbin reaffirmed Parliament’s unwavering respect for the judiciary as a co-equal arm of government, underscoring that the 1992 Constitution, under Article 125(1), vests the judicial power of Ghana in the judiciary and guarantees its independence from any control or direction.

He reminded members of the importance of maintaining mutual respect among the three arms of government (the Executive, Legislature, and Judiciary) in keeping with the doctrine of separation of powers.

‘The Standing Orders serve as a reminder that our proceedings must always reflect the dignity and integrity of Parliament as a key organ of state,’ the Speaker stated.

Mr. Bagbin disclosed that he had directed the leadership of the Appointments Committee to take note of the incident and ensure that all future vetting sessions are conducted with the highest levels of civility, objectivity, and institutional respect.

He urged MPs to uphold the longstanding spirit of cooperation and mutual regard between Parliament and the judiciary, stressing that both institutions must work together to protect the country’s constitutional democracy.

Concluding his remarks, the Speaker again extended Parliament’s ‘deepest apologies and assurances of continued respect for the judiciary and its esteemed members.’

Mr. Bagbin hinted at enforcing stricter discipline within the House, saying, ‘I will come back on this issue of decency, discipline, and decorum, and this time, I’m coming with the hammer, not the gavel.’

The Ministry of Sports and Recreation has congratulated JoySports journalist Muftawu Nabila Abdulai on being named Sports Journalist of the Year at the 29th Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) Awards held in Kumasi.

In a statement signed on behalf of the Minister the Ministry praised Muftawu for his dedication to sports journalism and his consistent efforts toward advancing the industry.

‘The Ministry received the news with great excitement and pride, recognising your hard work, dedication to sports journalism, and the responsiveness qualities that have become your hallmark,’ the statement read.

The Ministry lauded Muftawu’s commitment to developmental sports reporting, describing his work as both impactful and essential to shaping public discourse on sports in Ghana.

‘The developmental angle of sports journalism that you embody is highly valued by the Ministry of Sports and Recreation,’ it added.

The statement further encouraged the two-time award winner to continue striving for excellence and to build on his achievements for the benefit of sports journalism and national development.

Muftawu Nabila Abdulai previously won the same award at the 2024 GJA Awards held at the Accra International Conference Centre.