At Least 6 Perish in Crowd Crush at Ghana Military Recruitment Event
At least six individuals have lost their lives amid a stampede at a military recruitment event held in a sports arena in Ghana.
The Wednesday's "devastating" event appeared to have been triggered by "a sudden rush of candidates who breached security protocols and rushed into the gates," stated a release from the nation's military.
Twenty-two additional individuals were injured, including 5 who remain in critical condition.
Thousands had turned up at El-Wak stadium, in the main city, the capital, with the aspiration of joining the armed forces.
The country has a rate of joblessness among young people of approximately 32%, the most recent government statistics show, and such enlistment drives typically attract large crowds and often result in disorderly situations.
The closing date to apply for this recruitment was prolonged for a week to accommodate more applicants, as some had experienced difficulties in the application procedure.
Army spokesperson Capt Veronica Adzo Arhin said the crush occurred ahead of the planned commencement time of 06:20 GMT.
Ghana's President President John Mahama has gone to see the wounded in hospital.
Order has been reestablished, and the enlistment process has since started.
