At Least 6 Lose Their Lives in Stampede at Ghana Armed Forces Enlistment Event
No fewer than 6 people have lost their lives during a crowd crush at a military recruitment gathering held in a sports arena in Ghana.
The midweek "devastating" incident seems to have been triggered by "a sudden rush of applicants who breached security protocols and stormed the gates," announced a release from Ghana's armed forces.
22 additional individuals were injured, among them 5 who are in serious state.
A large crowd had turned up at El-Wak stadium, in the capital, Accra, with the aspiration of enlisting in the armed forces.
Ghana has a rate of joblessness among young people of approximately 32%, the latest government statistics show, and such enlistment drives typically attract massive gatherings and frequently lead to disorderly situations.
The closing date to apply for this recruitment was extended by a seven days to accommodate more applicants, as some had faced difficulties in the process.
Army spokesperson Captain Veronica Adzo Arhin stated the crush occurred ahead of the planned commencement time of 06:20 GMT.
The nation's leader President John Mahama has visited the injured in hospital.
Order has been restored, and the recruitment exercise has since begun.
