No Fewer Than Six Lose Their Lives in Stampede at Ghanaian Military Recruitment Event
At least 6 people have died amid a crowd crush at a military recruitment gathering held in a sports arena in Ghana.
The Wednesday's "devastating" event seems to have been triggered by "an unexpected surge of applicants who breached security protocols and rushed into the gates," stated a release from Ghana's armed forces.
Twenty-two additional individuals were injured, including 5 who remain in serious state.
Thousands had turned up at the El-Wak sports venue, in the main city, the capital, with the hope of joining the military.
The country has a rate of joblessness among young people of about thirty-two percent, the latest official data show, and such enlistment drives normally draw massive gatherings and often lead to disorderly situations.
The closing date to submit applications for this event was extended by a seven days to accommodate additional candidates, as some had faced difficulties in the process.
Army spokesperson Capt Veronica Adzo Arhin stated the crush occurred ahead of the event's scheduled start of 06:20 GMT.
Ghana's President John Mahama has visited the injured in hospital.
Calm has been reestablished, and the recruitment exercise has now started.
