At Least Six Perish in Crowd Crush at Ghana Armed Forces Enlistment Drive
No fewer than 6 people have lost their lives amid a stampede at a military recruitment gathering held in a stadium in the West African nation.
The Wednesday's "devastating" incident seems to have been caused by "a sudden rush of applicants who breached security protocols and stormed the entrances," stated a release from Ghana's armed forces.
22 others were injured, including five who remain in serious state.
A large crowd had gathered at El-Wak stadium, in the capital, the capital, with the aspiration of enlisting in the armed forces.
Ghana has a youth unemployment rate of about 32%, the most recent official data indicate, and such recruitment events typically attract massive gatherings and frequently lead to chaotic scenes.
The closing date to submit applications for this recruitment was extended by a seven days to accommodate more applicants, as some had experienced challenges in the application procedure.
Army spokesperson Captain Veronica Adzo Arhin stated the crush took place before the planned commencement time of 06:20 GMT.
The nation's leader President John Mahama has gone to see the injured in medical care.
Calm has been reestablished, and the enlistment process has now started.
