At Least 6 Perish in Crowd Crush at Ghana Armed Forces Enlistment Event
No fewer than six people have died during a stampede at a military recruitment gathering held in a sports arena in the West African nation.
The midweek "tragic" event appeared to have been triggered by "an unexpected surge of candidates who overcame security measures and rushed into the entrances," announced a statement from the nation's military.
22 additional individuals were hurt, among them five who are in critical condition.
A large crowd had turned up at El-Wak stadium, in the capital, the capital, with the aspiration of enlisting in the military.
The country has a rate of joblessness among young people of approximately thirty-two percent, the most recent official data indicate, and such enlistment drives typically draw large crowds and frequently lead to chaotic scenes.
The closing date to submit applications for this recruitment was extended by a seven days to accommodate additional candidates, as a number had faced difficulties in the process.
Military representative Captain Veronica Adzo Arhin stated the crush occurred before the planned commencement time of 6:20 AM Greenwich Mean Time.
The nation's leader President John Mahama has visited the wounded in hospital.
Calm has been reestablished, and the enlistment process has since begun.
