No Fewer Than Six Lose Their Lives in Stampede at Ghanaian Military Recruitment Drive
At least 6 people have died during a crowd crush at a armed forces enlistment gathering held in a stadium in the West African nation.
The midweek "tragic" incident seems to have been triggered by "a sudden rush of applicants who overcame security measures and rushed into the entrances," announced a release from the nation's military.
22 additional individuals were hurt, including five who remain in serious state.
Thousands had gathered at the El-Wak sports venue, in the capital, the capital, with the aspiration of enlisting in the armed forces.
The country has a rate of joblessness among young people of approximately thirty-two percent, the latest government statistics show, and such enlistment drives normally draw massive gatherings and often result in chaotic scenes.
The deadline to apply for this event was prolonged for a week to allow for more applicants, as some had experienced challenges in the application procedure.
Army spokesperson Capt Veronica Adzo Arhin said the stampede occurred ahead of the event's scheduled start of 06:20 GMT.
Ghana's President John Mahama has visited the wounded in medical care.
Order has been restored, and the enlistment process has now started.
