No Fewer Than 6 Perish in Stampede at Ghanaian Armed Forces Enlistment Drive
No fewer than 6 individuals have lost their lives amid a crowd crush at a armed forces enlistment event held in a sports arena in the West African nation.
The Wednesday's "devastating" incident appeared to have been caused by "a sudden rush of applicants who breached security protocols and stormed the entrances," announced a statement from Ghana's armed forces.
Twenty-two additional individuals were injured, among them five who are in critical condition.
Thousands had gathered at the El-Wak sports venue, in the main city, the capital, with the hope of joining the military.
Ghana has a rate of joblessness among young people of about thirty-two percent, the most recent official data indicate, and such recruitment events normally attract massive gatherings and frequently lead to chaotic scenes.
The closing date to submit applications for this recruitment was prolonged for a week to accommodate additional candidates, as some had experienced challenges in the application procedure.
Army spokesperson Capt Veronica Adzo Arhin said the crush took place ahead of the planned commencement time of 06:20 GMT.
Ghana's President President John Mahama has gone to see the wounded in hospital.
Calm has been restored, and the recruitment exercise has now started.
