No Fewer Than 6 Perish in Stampede at Ghanaian Military Recruitment Drive
No fewer than six people have lost their lives during a crowd crush at a armed forces enlistment event held in a sports arena in the West African nation.
The Wednesday's "devastating" event seems to have been caused by "an unexpected surge of candidates who overcame security measures and stormed the gates," stated a statement from Ghana's armed forces.
22 additional individuals were injured, including 5 who are in critical condition.
Thousands had turned up at the El-Wak sports venue, in the capital, the capital, with the aspiration of enlisting in the military.
Ghana has a youth unemployment rate of about thirty-two percent, the most recent government statistics show, and such enlistment drives typically draw large crowds and frequently lead to chaotic scenes.
The closing date to submit applications for this event was extended by a week to allow for more applicants, as some had experienced challenges in the application procedure.
Military representative Capt Veronica Adzo Arhin said the crush took place ahead of the planned commencement time of 06:20 GMT.
Ghana's President President John Mahama has gone to see the wounded in medical care.
Order has been restored, and the recruitment exercise has now begun.
