No Fewer Than 6 Perish in Stampede at Ghanaian Armed Forces Enlistment Event
At least 6 individuals have lost their lives amid a stampede at a armed forces enlistment event held in a stadium in Ghana.
The midweek "devastating" incident appeared to have been caused by "a sudden rush of applicants who breached security protocols and rushed into the entrances," announced a release from the nation's military.
Twenty-two additional individuals were hurt, including five who remain in critical condition.
Thousands had turned up at the El-Wak sports venue, in the capital, Accra, with the aspiration of enlisting in the military.
The country has a youth unemployment rate of about 32%, the latest official data show, and such recruitment events normally attract large crowds and often result in disorderly situations.
The closing date to submit applications for this recruitment was prolonged for a seven days to allow for additional candidates, as some had faced difficulties in the application procedure.
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 visited the wounded in hospital.
Calm has been restored, and the enlistment process has since begun.
