No Fewer Than 6 Perish in Crowd Crush at Ghana Armed Forces Enlistment Drive
No fewer than six individuals have lost their lives during a stampede at a armed forces enlistment event held in a stadium in the West African nation.
The Wednesday's "devastating" event seems to have been caused by "a sudden rush of applicants who breached security protocols and rushed into the gates," announced a statement from the nation's military.
22 additional individuals were hurt, among them 5 who are in critical condition.
Thousands had gathered at El-Wak stadium, in the main city, Accra, with the hope of enlisting in the armed forces.
The country has a rate of joblessness among young people of about thirty-two percent, the latest official data show, and such recruitment events typically attract massive gatherings and frequently result in chaotic scenes.
The closing date to apply for this recruitment was extended by a seven days to allow for additional candidates, as a number had faced difficulties in the process.
Army spokesperson Captain Veronica Adzo Arhin said the crush took place before the planned commencement time of 06:20 GMT.
The nation's leader John Mahama has gone to see the injured in medical care.
Calm has been restored, and the recruitment exercise has now begun.
