At Least 6 Lose Their Lives in Stampede at Ghanaian Military Recruitment Event
At least 6 people have died amid a crowd crush at a military recruitment gathering held in a sports arena in the West African nation.
The midweek "tragic" event seems to have been caused by "an unexpected surge of candidates who breached security protocols and stormed the gates," stated a release from Ghana's armed forces.
22 others were injured, among them 5 who remain in critical condition.
Thousands had turned up at El-Wak stadium, in the capital, Accra, with the aspiration of joining the armed forces.
The country has a rate of joblessness among young people of about thirty-two percent, the latest official data show, and such enlistment drives typically draw large crowds and frequently lead to chaotic scenes.
The deadline to submit applications for this recruitment was prolonged for a seven days to allow for more applicants, as a number had experienced difficulties in the process.
Military representative Capt Veronica Adzo Arhin said the stampede occurred before the event's scheduled start of 6:20 AM Greenwich Mean Time.
Ghana's President John Mahama has gone to see the injured in hospital.
Calm has been reestablished, and the recruitment exercise has now begun.
