At Least Six Lose Their Lives in Crowd Crush at Ghanaian Armed Forces Enlistment Drive
No fewer than 6 individuals have died during a stampede at a armed forces enlistment event held in a sports arena in Ghana.
The Wednesday's "tragic" event seems to have been caused by "a sudden rush of candidates who overcame security measures and stormed the entrances," stated a statement from the nation's military.
Twenty-two additional individuals were hurt, among them 5 who remain in serious state.
Thousands had turned up at the El-Wak sports venue, in the main city, the capital, with the aspiration 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 typically attract massive gatherings and often result in disorderly situations.
The deadline to submit applications for this event was extended by a week to allow for additional candidates, as some had faced difficulties in the process.
Army spokesperson Captain Veronica Adzo Arhin said the crush occurred before the planned commencement time of 6:20 AM Greenwich Mean Time.
Ghana's President President John Mahama has gone to see the wounded in medical care.
Order has been restored, and the recruitment exercise has since started.
