At Least 6 Lose Their Lives in Crowd Crush at Ghanaian Military Recruitment Drive
At least 6 people have lost their lives during a stampede at a armed forces enlistment gathering held in a sports arena in Ghana.
The midweek "devastating" incident appeared to have been caused by "a sudden rush of candidates who overcame security measures and stormed the entrances," announced a statement from Ghana's armed forces.
Twenty-two additional individuals were injured, including 5 who are in serious state.
A large crowd had turned up at El-Wak stadium, in the main city, the capital, with the hope of joining the military.
The country has a rate of joblessness among young people of approximately thirty-two percent, the latest government statistics indicate, and such enlistment drives typically attract massive gatherings and often lead to disorderly situations.
The closing date to apply for this event was extended by a week to allow for additional candidates, as a number had faced challenges in the application procedure.
Army spokesperson Captain Veronica Adzo Arhin stated the stampede occurred before the planned commencement time of 06:20 GMT.
Ghana's President President John Mahama has visited the wounded in medical care.
Order has been restored, and the recruitment exercise has since begun.
