At Least 6 Lose Their Lives in Crowd Crush at Ghanaian Armed Forces Enlistment Drive
At least six individuals have lost their lives during a crowd crush at a armed forces enlistment gathering held in a stadium in the West African nation.
The midweek "devastating" incident appeared to have been triggered by "a sudden rush of candidates who breached security protocols and stormed the entrances," stated a statement from Ghana's armed forces.
22 additional individuals were hurt, including five who are in serious state.
Thousands had turned up at the El-Wak sports venue, in the main city, the capital, with the hope of enlisting in the military.
Ghana has a youth unemployment rate of about 32%, the latest government statistics show, and such enlistment drives typically attract massive gatherings and frequently result in disorderly situations.
The deadline to apply for this recruitment was prolonged for a seven days to accommodate additional candidates, as a number had faced difficulties in the process.
Army spokesperson Captain Veronica Adzo Arhin stated the stampede occurred before the event's scheduled start of 06:20 GMT.
The nation's leader President John Mahama has gone to see the wounded in medical care.
Order has been reestablished, and the enlistment process has now started.
