No Fewer Than Six Perish in Crowd Crush at Ghanaian Armed Forces Enlistment Event
At least six individuals have lost their lives amid a stampede at a armed forces enlistment event held in a stadium in Ghana.
The Wednesday's "devastating" incident seems to have been caused by "a sudden rush of candidates who breached security protocols and stormed the entrances," announced a release from Ghana's armed forces.
22 others were hurt, among them five who remain in critical condition.
A large crowd had turned up at El-Wak stadium, in the capital, Accra, with the hope of joining the armed forces.
Ghana has a youth unemployment rate of about 32%, the most recent government statistics indicate, and such enlistment drives normally draw large crowds and often lead to disorderly situations.
The closing date to submit applications for this event was extended by a week to accommodate additional candidates, as some had experienced challenges in the process.
Military representative Captain Veronica Adzo Arhin stated the crush took place before the planned commencement time of 6:20 AM Greenwich Mean Time.
The nation's leader John Mahama has visited the wounded in hospital.
Calm has been reestablished, and the recruitment exercise has since begun.
