No Fewer Than Six Lose Their Lives in Stampede at Ghana Armed Forces Enlistment Drive
No fewer than 6 people have died amid a crowd crush at a military recruitment event held in a sports arena in the West African nation.
The midweek "devastating" event appeared to have been triggered by "a sudden rush of candidates who overcame security measures and stormed the entrances," announced a release from Ghana's armed forces.
22 additional individuals were hurt, including five who are in critical condition.
Thousands had turned up at the El-Wak sports venue, in the main city, the capital, with the hope of enlisting in the armed forces.
Ghana has a rate of joblessness among young people of about thirty-two percent, the latest government statistics show, and such enlistment drives typically draw massive gatherings and frequently lead to chaotic scenes.
The deadline to submit applications for this recruitment was extended by a seven days to allow for additional candidates, as some had faced difficulties in the process.
Military representative Captain Veronica Adzo Arhin stated the stampede occurred ahead of the event's scheduled start of 6:20 AM Greenwich Mean Time.
The nation's leader President John Mahama has gone to see the injured in medical care.
Order has been restored, and the recruitment exercise has now started.
