No Fewer Than Six Lose Their Lives in Stampede at Ghana Armed Forces Enlistment Drive
No fewer than 6 people have lost their lives during a crowd crush at a military recruitment gathering held in a sports arena in Ghana.
The Wednesday's "tragic" incident appeared to have been triggered by "an unexpected surge of applicants who overcame security measures and stormed the entrances," stated a release from Ghana's armed forces.
Twenty-two others were hurt, among them five who are in serious state.
A large crowd had gathered at the El-Wak sports venue, in the main city, the capital, with the aspiration of enlisting in the military.
Ghana has a rate of joblessness among young people of about thirty-two percent, the most recent government statistics show, and such recruitment events normally draw massive gatherings and often result in chaotic scenes.
The deadline to submit applications for this event was extended by a seven days to accommodate additional candidates, as a number had faced challenges in the application procedure.
Army spokesperson Capt Veronica Adzo Arhin stated the crush took place ahead of the planned commencement time of 6:20 AM Greenwich Mean Time.
Ghana's President John Mahama has visited the injured in hospital.
Calm has been reestablished, and the enlistment process has now begun.
