At Least Six Lose Their Lives in Crowd Crush at Ghana Military Recruitment Drive
No fewer than 6 people have died amid a stampede at a armed forces enlistment gathering held in a sports arena in the West African nation.
The Wednesday's "tragic" event appeared to have been triggered by "a sudden rush of applicants who overcame security measures and rushed into the gates," stated a release from the nation's military.
Twenty-two additional individuals were injured, among them five who remain in serious state.
A large crowd had turned up at the El-Wak sports venue, in the capital, Accra, with the aspiration of enlisting in the military.
Ghana has a youth unemployment rate of approximately 32%, the most recent official data indicate, and such enlistment drives typically draw large crowds and frequently result in chaotic scenes.
The closing date to apply for this event was prolonged for a seven days to allow for more applicants, as some had faced challenges in the application procedure.
Military representative Capt Veronica Adzo Arhin said the crush occurred before the planned commencement time of 06:20 GMT.
Ghana's President John Mahama has visited the wounded in medical care.
Order has been reestablished, and the enlistment process has since begun.
