No Fewer Than 6 Lose Their Lives in Crowd Crush at Ghanaian Armed Forces Enlistment Drive
No fewer than six individuals have lost their lives amid a crowd crush at a military recruitment event held in a stadium in the West African nation.
The midweek "devastating" event seems to have been triggered by "a sudden rush of applicants who overcame security measures and rushed into the entrances," stated a release from the nation's military.
Twenty-two additional individuals were hurt, including 5 who remain in serious state.
Thousands had turned up at El-Wak stadium, in the capital, Accra, with the hope of joining the military.
The country has a youth unemployment rate of about 32%, the latest government statistics indicate, and such enlistment drives normally attract large crowds and often result in chaotic scenes.
The closing date to submit applications for this recruitment was prolonged for a week to allow for additional candidates, as a number had faced difficulties in the process.
Army spokesperson Capt Veronica Adzo Arhin stated the stampede occurred ahead of the event's scheduled start of 06:20 GMT.
The nation's leader John Mahama has visited the injured in medical care.
Calm has been restored, and the enlistment process has since begun.
