No Fewer Than 6 Perish in Stampede at Ghana Military Recruitment Event
At least six people have lost their lives during a crowd crush at a military recruitment event held in a sports arena in the West African nation.
The midweek "devastating" incident seems to have been caused by "a sudden rush of applicants who overcame security measures and stormed the gates," stated a statement from Ghana's armed forces.
Twenty-two others were injured, including 5 who remain in critical condition.
Thousands had turned up at the El-Wak sports venue, in the capital, the capital, with the aspiration of enlisting in the armed forces.
Ghana has a rate of joblessness among young people of about thirty-two percent, the latest government statistics show, and such enlistment drives typically draw large crowds and often result in chaotic scenes.
The closing date to submit applications for this recruitment was prolonged for a seven days to allow for more applicants, as a number had faced difficulties in the application procedure.
Army spokesperson Captain Veronica Adzo Arhin stated the crush occurred before 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 enlistment process has now begun.
