No Fewer Than Six Lose Their Lives in Crowd Crush at Ghana Armed Forces Enlistment Drive
At least six people have lost their lives during a crowd crush at a military recruitment gathering held in a sports arena in the West African nation.
The Wednesday's "tragic" event appeared to have been triggered by "a sudden rush of candidates who overcame security measures and rushed into the gates," stated a statement from the nation's military.
Twenty-two additional individuals were hurt, among them 5 who remain in serious state.
A large crowd had gathered at El-Wak stadium, in the capital, Accra, with the hope of enlisting in the armed forces.
The country has a youth unemployment rate of approximately thirty-two percent, the most recent government statistics indicate, and such recruitment events typically draw massive gatherings and frequently lead to disorderly situations.
The deadline to apply for this recruitment was prolonged for a week to accommodate additional candidates, as some had experienced difficulties in the application procedure.
Military representative Capt Veronica Adzo Arhin said the stampede occurred ahead of the event's scheduled start of 06:20 GMT.
The nation's leader President John Mahama has visited the wounded in medical care.
Calm has been reestablished, and the recruitment exercise has since begun.
