At Least Six Perish in Stampede at Ghana Armed Forces Enlistment Event
No fewer than six individuals have lost their lives during a stampede at a military recruitment event held in a stadium in Ghana.
The Wednesday's "tragic" event appeared to have been triggered by "a sudden rush of candidates who overcame security measures and stormed the entrances," announced a release from Ghana's armed forces.
22 additional individuals were injured, including five who remain in serious state.
A large crowd had turned up at the El-Wak sports venue, in the main city, Accra, with the aspiration of joining the armed forces.
Ghana has a youth unemployment rate of about thirty-two percent, the most recent official data indicate, and such enlistment drives typically draw large crowds and frequently lead to disorderly situations.
The deadline to submit applications for this event was prolonged for a seven days to accommodate additional candidates, as some had experienced challenges in the application procedure.
Military representative Capt Veronica Adzo Arhin stated the crush occurred ahead of the event's scheduled start of 06:20 GMT.
Ghana's President John Mahama has gone to see the injured in hospital.
Order has been reestablished, and the recruitment exercise has now started.
