No Fewer Than Six Perish in Crowd Crush at Ghana Armed Forces Enlistment Drive
No fewer than 6 individuals have lost their lives amid a stampede at a military recruitment gathering held in a sports arena in Ghana.
The midweek "devastating" event appeared to have been caused by "a sudden rush of candidates who breached security protocols and stormed the gates," stated a statement from the nation's military.
22 others were hurt, among them 5 who are in critical condition.
Thousands had gathered at El-Wak stadium, in the capital, the capital, with the hope of joining the armed forces.
The country has a rate of joblessness among young people of about 32%, the most recent official data show, and such recruitment events normally draw massive gatherings and frequently result in disorderly situations.
The closing date to apply for this recruitment was extended by a week to accommodate additional candidates, as some had experienced challenges in the application procedure.
Military representative Capt Veronica Adzo Arhin said the stampede occurred ahead of the event's scheduled start of 06:20 GMT.
The nation's leader John Mahama has gone to see the injured in hospital.
Order has been restored, and the recruitment exercise has now begun.
