At Least Six Perish in Crowd Crush at Ghanaian Military Recruitment Drive
No fewer than six people have lost their lives amid a crowd crush at a armed forces enlistment gathering held in a stadium in the West African nation.
The Wednesday's "tragic" incident appeared to have been triggered by "a sudden rush of candidates who breached security protocols and stormed the entrances," stated a statement from Ghana's armed forces.
22 additional individuals were hurt, including 5 who remain in serious state.
A large crowd had gathered at El-Wak stadium, in the main city, Accra, with the hope of enlisting in the military.
The country has a youth unemployment rate of approximately 32%, the latest government statistics indicate, and such enlistment drives typically attract large crowds and often result in chaotic scenes.
The closing date to apply for this event was prolonged for a week to allow for more applicants, as a number had experienced difficulties in the application procedure.
Military representative Capt Veronica Adzo Arhin stated the stampede occurred ahead of the planned commencement time of 6:20 AM Greenwich Mean Time.
Ghana's President President John Mahama has visited the wounded in hospital.
Calm has been restored, and the recruitment exercise has now begun.
