At Least 6 Lose Their Lives in Crowd Crush at Ghanaian Armed Forces Enlistment Drive
At least six individuals have lost their lives during a stampede at a armed forces enlistment gathering held in a stadium 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," stated a release from Ghana's armed forces.
22 others were hurt, among them 5 who are in serious state.
Thousands had gathered at the El-Wak sports venue, in the capital, Accra, with the aspiration of enlisting in the armed forces.
The country has a rate of joblessness among young people of about 32%, the most recent official data indicate, and such enlistment drives normally attract massive gatherings and frequently lead to disorderly situations.
The closing date to submit applications for this recruitment was extended by a week to accommodate more applicants, as a number had faced difficulties in the process.
Military representative Capt Veronica Adzo Arhin stated the crush took place ahead of the event's scheduled start of 6:20 AM Greenwich Mean Time.
Ghana's President President John Mahama has visited the wounded in hospital.
Calm has been reestablished, and the enlistment process has since started.
