No Fewer Than 6 Perish in Stampede at Ghanaian Military Recruitment Event
No fewer than six people have lost their lives during a crowd crush at a armed forces enlistment gathering held in a sports arena in Ghana.
The Wednesday's "devastating" event appeared to have been caused by "a sudden rush of candidates who overcame security measures and rushed into the gates," announced a release from Ghana's armed forces.
22 others were injured, including 5 who are in serious state.
A large crowd had turned up at the El-Wak sports venue, in the capital, the capital, with the hope of enlisting in the military.
The country has a rate of joblessness among young people of approximately thirty-two percent, the most recent government statistics show, and such recruitment events typically draw large crowds and frequently result in disorderly situations.
The deadline to submit applications for this recruitment was extended by a week to accommodate more applicants, as a number had experienced challenges in the application procedure.
Army spokesperson Capt Veronica Adzo Arhin stated the crush occurred before the planned commencement time of 06:20 GMT.
The nation's leader John Mahama has visited the wounded in hospital.
Order has been restored, and the recruitment exercise has since started.
