At Least Six Perish in Crowd Crush at Ghana Armed Forces Enlistment Drive
At least six individuals have lost their lives during a crowd crush at a armed forces enlistment gathering held in a stadium in the West African nation.
The Wednesday's "devastating" incident appeared to have been triggered by "a sudden rush of candidates who breached security protocols and stormed the entrances," stated a release from Ghana's armed forces.
Twenty-two additional individuals were hurt, including five who are in serious state.
Thousands had turned up at the El-Wak sports venue, in the capital, Accra, with the hope of enlisting in the military.
The country has a youth unemployment rate of approximately 32%, the most recent government statistics indicate, and such enlistment drives typically attract massive gatherings and frequently result in disorderly situations.
The deadline to apply for this event was prolonged for a week to accommodate additional candidates, as some had faced difficulties in the process.
Military representative Capt Veronica Adzo Arhin said the stampede took place before the event's scheduled start 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 since started.
