No Fewer Than Six Perish in Stampede at Ghanaian Armed Forces Enlistment Drive
No fewer than 6 people have lost their lives during a stampede at a military recruitment event held in a stadium in Ghana.
The Wednesday's "tragic" incident seems to have been triggered by "a sudden rush of applicants who breached security protocols and rushed into the gates," announced a release from the nation's military.
Twenty-two additional individuals were hurt, including five who remain in critical condition.
A large crowd had turned up at the El-Wak sports venue, in the main city, Accra, with the hope of enlisting in the armed forces.
The country has a youth unemployment rate of approximately 32%, the most recent government statistics show, and such recruitment events typically attract massive gatherings and frequently lead to disorderly situations.
The closing date to submit applications for this event was prolonged for a seven days to allow for more applicants, as some had faced difficulties in the application procedure.
Army spokesperson Captain Veronica Adzo Arhin stated the crush occurred ahead of the event's scheduled start of 06:20 GMT.
The nation's leader John Mahama has visited the wounded in medical care.
Order has been reestablished, and the recruitment exercise has now started.
