No Fewer Than Six Lose Their Lives in Stampede at Ghana Military Recruitment Drive
No fewer than six individuals have lost their lives amid a crowd crush at a armed forces enlistment event held in a stadium in the West African nation.
The midweek "devastating" incident seems to have been caused by "an unexpected surge of applicants who breached security protocols and rushed into the entrances," announced a release from the nation's military.
22 others were hurt, including five who remain in critical condition.
Thousands had gathered at the El-Wak sports venue, in the capital, Accra, with the hope of enlisting in the military.
The country has a youth unemployment rate of approximately thirty-two percent, the most recent official data indicate, and such recruitment events typically attract large crowds and frequently lead to disorderly situations.
The closing date to submit applications for this event was extended by a seven days to allow for more applicants, as some had experienced challenges in the application procedure.
Military representative Captain Veronica Adzo Arhin stated the crush took place ahead of the planned commencement time of 6:20 AM Greenwich Mean Time.
Ghana's President John Mahama has visited the injured in medical care.
Order has been restored, and the recruitment exercise has now started.
