At Least 6 Perish in Crowd Crush at Ghana Military Recruitment Drive
No fewer than 6 people have lost their lives during a stampede at a armed forces enlistment gathering held in a sports arena in Ghana.
The Wednesday's "devastating" event appeared to have been triggered by "an unexpected surge of applicants who breached security protocols and rushed into the entrances," announced a statement from the nation's military.
22 additional individuals were injured, including five who remain in critical condition.
A large crowd had gathered at the El-Wak sports venue, in the capital, the capital, with the aspiration of enlisting in the military.
The country has a rate of joblessness among young people of approximately 32%, the most recent government statistics indicate, and such enlistment drives typically draw large crowds and often result in disorderly situations.
The deadline to submit applications for this event was prolonged for a seven days to allow for more applicants, as some had faced challenges in the process.
Army spokesperson Captain Veronica Adzo Arhin stated the stampede occurred before the planned commencement time of 6:20 AM Greenwich Mean Time.
Ghana's President John Mahama has gone to see the wounded in medical care.
Order has been reestablished, and the recruitment exercise has now begun.
