At Least 6 Perish in Stampede at Ghana Military Recruitment Drive
At least six people have lost their lives amid a stampede at a armed forces enlistment event held in a sports arena in the West African nation.
The Wednesday's "devastating" incident appeared to have been triggered by "a sudden rush of applicants who breached security protocols and stormed the entrances," stated a release from Ghana's armed forces.
22 additional individuals were injured, among them 5 who remain in critical condition.
A large crowd had turned up at El-Wak stadium, in the main city, the capital, with the aspiration of enlisting in the military.
The country has a rate of joblessness among young people of approximately 32%, the latest government statistics indicate, and such enlistment drives normally attract massive gatherings and frequently result in disorderly situations.
The deadline to submit applications for this event was prolonged for a seven days to allow for additional candidates, as some had faced difficulties in the application procedure.
Military representative Captain Veronica Adzo Arhin stated the crush took place ahead of the event's scheduled start of 06:20 GMT.
The nation's leader John Mahama has gone to see the injured in hospital.
Order has been reestablished, and the enlistment process has since begun.
