No Fewer Than 6 Lose Their Lives in Crowd Crush at Ghanaian Military Recruitment Event
No fewer than six people have lost their lives during a stampede at a armed forces enlistment event held in a sports arena in the West African nation.
The Wednesday's "devastating" event appeared to have been triggered by "a sudden rush of candidates who breached security protocols and stormed the gates," stated a release from the nation's military.
Twenty-two others were hurt, among them five who are in serious state.
Thousands had gathered at El-Wak stadium, in the main city, the capital, with the hope of enlisting in the armed forces.
Ghana has a rate of joblessness among young people of approximately thirty-two percent, the most recent official data indicate, and such recruitment events typically draw massive gatherings and often result in chaotic scenes.
The closing date to apply for this event was prolonged for a seven days to allow for more applicants, as some had experienced challenges in the process.
Army spokesperson Captain Veronica Adzo Arhin stated the stampede occurred ahead of the planned commencement time of 06:20 GMT.
The nation's leader John Mahama has visited the injured in medical care.
Order has been restored, and the recruitment exercise has since begun.
