At Least Six Perish in Stampede at Ghanaian Military Recruitment Event
No fewer than six individuals have lost their lives amid a crowd crush at a armed forces enlistment event held in a sports arena in the West African nation.
The Wednesday's "tragic" incident seems to have been triggered by "a sudden rush of applicants who breached security protocols and stormed the gates," announced a statement from the nation's military.
22 others were injured, among them 5 who are in serious state.
Thousands had turned up at El-Wak stadium, in the main city, the capital, with the aspiration of joining the armed forces.
Ghana has a youth unemployment rate of about 32%, the latest official data indicate, and such enlistment drives typically draw large crowds and frequently lead to disorderly situations.
The closing date to apply for this event was prolonged for a seven days to accommodate additional candidates, as a number had faced challenges in the process.
Military representative Captain Veronica Adzo Arhin stated the stampede occurred before the planned commencement time of 06:20 GMT.
Ghana's President John Mahama has gone to see the wounded in medical care.
Order has been restored, and the recruitment exercise has since started.
