At Least Six Lose Their Lives in Crowd Crush at Ghana Military Recruitment Drive
At least 6 individuals have lost their lives during a stampede at a armed forces enlistment event held in a sports arena in Ghana.
The midweek "devastating" event appeared to have been triggered by "an unexpected surge of candidates who breached security protocols and stormed the entrances," announced a release from Ghana's armed forces.
Twenty-two others were hurt, among them five who remain in serious state.
A large crowd had gathered at the El-Wak sports venue, in the main city, Accra, with the aspiration of enlisting in the military.
The country has a rate of joblessness among young people of about thirty-two percent, the latest official data show, and such enlistment drives 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 additional candidates, as some had experienced challenges in the application procedure.
Army spokesperson Capt Veronica Adzo Arhin said the stampede took place before the planned commencement time of 6:20 AM Greenwich Mean Time.
Ghana's President President John Mahama has visited the injured in medical care.
Calm has been reestablished, and the recruitment exercise has since started.
