CUTS Calls for Amendment of Public Order Act Following El-Wak Stadium Stampede
CUTS International, Accra, has called on Parliament to amend the Public Order Act, 1994 (Act 491), following the tragic incident at the El-Wak Stadium during a military recruitment exercise that resulted in the death of six job seekers and left several others injured.
In a statement signed by Mr. Appiah Kusi Adomako, Director of the West Africa Regional Centre of CUTS International, the organisation expressed deep sorrow over the incident, describing it as yet another reminder of Ghana’s inadequate institutional preparedness and poor crowd management systems.
Mr. Adomako noted that despite previous tragedies, such as the May 9 Stadium Disaster in 2001, little progress has been made in enforcing safety protocols at public gatherings. He cited persistent overcrowding and the lack of emergency exits at churches, schools, funerals, and recruitment venues as evidence of systemic neglect.
“Public safety must not depend on chance or sympathy after a tragedy,” Mr. Adomako stressed, calling for a proactive national framework that enforces planning, simulation, and accountability to save lives and restore public confidence.
CUTS International is proposing amendments to Act 491 to broaden the definition of “special events” to include religious, social, and sporting gatherings, and to impose mandatory health and safety requirements on event organisers. The organisation also urged the Ministry of Interior to strengthen the enforcement capacity of Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs) to ensure compliance.
The statement further called for empowering the Police and local authorities to enforce safety standards at public venues, the adoption of digital booking systems to prevent overcrowding, and accountability measures for organisers whose negligence leads to injury or loss of life.
Mr. Adomako added that the recognition of time and safety as consumer rights is critical, arguing that citizens deserve safe, efficient, and dignified access to public services.
CUTS concluded that the lives lost in preventable tragedies such as the El-Wak stampede are the cost of regulatory failure and institutional neglect, urging swift legislative reform to prevent future occurrences.
