At Least Six Lose Their Lives in Crowd Crush at Ghanaian Armed Forces Enlistment Drive
No fewer than 6 people have lost their lives during a stampede at a military recruitment gathering held in a stadium in Ghana.
The midweek "tragic" event appeared to have been caused by "a sudden rush of applicants who overcame security measures and rushed into the gates," stated a statement from the nation's military.
Twenty-two others were hurt, among them 5 who are in critical condition.
A large crowd had turned up at El-Wak stadium, in the main city, the capital, with the aspiration of enlisting in the armed forces.
Ghana has a youth unemployment rate of approximately 32%, the most recent government statistics indicate, and such recruitment events typically attract massive gatherings and frequently lead to disorderly situations.
The closing date to submit applications for this event was extended by a week to accommodate more applicants, as a number had faced difficulties in the application procedure.
Army spokesperson Capt Veronica Adzo Arhin stated the crush took place ahead of the planned commencement time of 6:20 AM Greenwich Mean Time.
Ghana's President President John Mahama has gone to see the injured in medical care.
Calm has been reestablished, and the recruitment exercise has since begun.
