No Fewer Than Six Lose Their Lives in Stampede at Ghana Armed Forces Enlistment Drive
No fewer than six people have lost their lives during a crowd crush at a armed forces enlistment gathering held in a stadium in the West African nation.
The Wednesday's "tragic" event appeared to have been caused by "an unexpected surge of candidates who overcame security measures and stormed the entrances," stated a release from the nation's military.
Twenty-two additional individuals were injured, among them 5 who remain in serious state.
Thousands had turned up at El-Wak stadium, in the main city, Accra, with the hope of joining the armed forces.
The country has a rate of joblessness among young people of approximately 32%, the latest government statistics show, and such recruitment events normally attract large crowds and frequently result in chaotic scenes.
The deadline to submit applications for this recruitment was prolonged for a week to allow for additional candidates, as a number had experienced challenges in the process.
Army spokesperson Capt Veronica Adzo Arhin stated the crush took place ahead of the event's scheduled start of 6:20 AM Greenwich Mean Time.
The nation's leader John Mahama has visited the wounded in medical care.
Order has been restored, and the recruitment exercise has since begun.
