No Fewer Than 6 Perish in Stampede at Ghana 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 stadium in the West African nation.
The midweek "devastating" incident seems to have been caused by "a sudden rush of candidates who overcame security measures and stormed the entrances," stated a statement from Ghana's armed forces.
Twenty-two others were hurt, among them five who remain in critical condition.
A large crowd had turned up at the El-Wak sports venue, in the main city, Accra, with the aspiration of joining the armed forces.
Ghana has a youth unemployment rate of approximately 32%, the latest official data show, and such recruitment events normally draw large crowds and often lead to disorderly situations.
The deadline to submit applications for this event was extended by a seven days to allow for more applicants, as some had faced difficulties in the process.
Army spokesperson Captain Veronica Adzo Arhin stated the crush took place ahead of the planned commencement time of 06:20 GMT.
Ghana's President John Mahama has gone to see the injured in hospital.
Calm has been reestablished, and the recruitment exercise has now started.
