At Least 6 Perish in Crowd Crush at Ghana Armed Forces Enlistment Event
At least six individuals have died during a stampede at a military recruitment gathering held in a stadium in the West African nation.
The midweek "tragic" incident appeared to have been triggered by "a sudden rush of applicants who overcame security measures and stormed the entrances," stated a release from the nation's military.
22 additional individuals were injured, among them 5 who remain in serious state.
A large crowd had gathered at El-Wak stadium, in the capital, Accra, with the hope of joining the armed forces.
The country has a rate of joblessness among young people of approximately thirty-two percent, the latest official data show, and such recruitment events normally attract large crowds and frequently lead to disorderly situations.
The closing date to submit applications for this event was prolonged for a week to accommodate additional candidates, as some had faced difficulties in the application procedure.
Military representative Captain Veronica Adzo Arhin said the crush occurred ahead of the planned commencement time of 06:20 GMT.
The nation's leader President John Mahama has visited the wounded in medical care.
Calm has been restored, and the enlistment process has since begun.
