No Fewer Than Six Lose Their Lives in Crowd Crush at Ghanaian Military Recruitment Drive
At least 6 individuals have died during a stampede at a armed forces enlistment gathering held in a stadium in Ghana.
The Wednesday's "devastating" incident seems to have been triggered by "an unexpected surge of candidates who overcame security measures and rushed into the gates," stated a release from Ghana's armed forces.
22 additional individuals were injured, among them 5 who remain in serious state.
Thousands had turned up at El-Wak stadium, in the main city, the capital, with the hope of joining the military.
The country has a rate of joblessness among young people of approximately thirty-two percent, the latest official data indicate, and such enlistment drives normally attract large crowds and often lead to chaotic scenes.
The closing date to apply for this event was prolonged for a week to allow for more applicants, as some had experienced challenges in the process.
Military representative Capt Veronica Adzo Arhin said the stampede occurred before the planned commencement time of 06:20 GMT.
Ghana's President John Mahama has gone to see the injured in medical care.
Order has been restored, and the recruitment exercise has now started.
