At Least Six Perish in Stampede at Ghana Military Recruitment Drive
No fewer than six individuals have lost their lives during a crowd crush at a armed forces enlistment gathering held in a stadium in Ghana.
The Wednesday's "tragic" incident seems to have been caused by "an unexpected surge of applicants who overcame security measures and stormed the entrances," stated a release from the nation's military.
Twenty-two others were injured, among them five who remain in critical condition.
A large crowd had gathered at the El-Wak sports venue, in the main city, Accra, with the hope of enlisting in the armed forces.
Ghana has a rate of joblessness among young people of approximately thirty-two percent, the latest official data indicate, and such enlistment drives normally attract large crowds and frequently lead to disorderly situations.
The deadline to submit applications for this recruitment was extended by a seven days to allow for additional candidates, as a number had faced challenges in the application procedure.
Military representative Capt Veronica Adzo Arhin said the stampede took place before the event's scheduled start of 06:20 GMT.
The nation's leader John Mahama has visited the wounded in hospital.
Calm has been restored, and the recruitment exercise has now begun.
