No Fewer Than 6 Lose Their Lives in Stampede at Ghana Military Recruitment Drive
At least 6 people have died during a crowd crush at a armed forces enlistment event held in a stadium in Ghana.
The Wednesday's "devastating" incident appeared to have been triggered by "an unexpected surge of candidates who breached security protocols and rushed into the gates," announced a release from the nation's military.
Twenty-two others were injured, including 5 who remain in critical condition.
Thousands had gathered at the El-Wak sports venue, in the main city, the capital, with the hope of enlisting in the armed forces.
Ghana has a youth unemployment rate of approximately thirty-two percent, the most recent official data indicate, and such recruitment events normally draw large crowds and frequently lead to chaotic scenes.
The deadline to submit applications for this recruitment was prolonged for a week to allow for more applicants, as some had experienced challenges in the process.
Army spokesperson Capt Veronica Adzo Arhin said the stampede occurred before the planned commencement time of 6:20 AM Greenwich Mean Time.
Ghana's President President John Mahama has gone to see the wounded in hospital.
Order has been reestablished, and the recruitment exercise has now started.
