No Fewer Than Six Lose Their Lives in Crowd Crush at Ghana Military Recruitment Drive
At least 6 individuals have lost their lives during a stampede at a armed forces enlistment event held in a sports arena in Ghana.
The midweek "tragic" event seems to have been triggered by "a sudden rush of applicants who overcame security measures and stormed the entrances," stated a release from the nation's military.
Twenty-two additional individuals were injured, including 5 who are in serious state.
Thousands had turned up at the El-Wak sports venue, in the capital, Accra, with the aspiration of enlisting in the military.
The country has a youth unemployment rate of approximately 32%, the latest official data indicate, and such enlistment drives typically attract large crowds and frequently lead to chaotic scenes.
The deadline to submit applications for this event was extended by a seven days to allow for additional candidates, as a number had experienced difficulties in the application procedure.
Army spokesperson Capt Veronica Adzo Arhin said the stampede occurred ahead of the event's scheduled start of 6:20 AM Greenwich Mean Time.
Ghana's President President John Mahama has visited the injured in hospital.
Order has been restored, and the enlistment process has since begun.
