No Fewer Than 6 Lose Their Lives in Stampede at Ghana Military Recruitment Event
No fewer than six individuals have lost their lives amid a crowd crush at a armed forces enlistment gathering held in a stadium in Ghana.
The midweek "tragic" incident appeared 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.
Twenty-two others were injured, among them 5 who remain in serious state.
A large crowd had gathered at the El-Wak sports venue, in the main city, Accra, with the hope of joining the military.
Ghana has a youth unemployment rate of about 32%, the latest government statistics show, and such enlistment drives typically draw large crowds and often result in chaotic scenes.
The closing date to submit applications for this recruitment was prolonged for a seven days to accommodate additional candidates, as some had faced challenges in the process.
Military representative Captain Veronica Adzo Arhin said the crush took place before the planned commencement time of 6:20 AM Greenwich Mean Time.
The nation's leader President John Mahama has visited the wounded in hospital.
Calm has been restored, and the recruitment exercise has since begun.