At Least 6 Perish in Stampede at Ghanaian Military Recruitment Drive
At least 6 individuals have lost their lives during a crowd crush at a military recruitment event held in a stadium in the West African nation.
The midweek "devastating" incident seems to have been triggered by "a sudden rush of applicants who breached security protocols and rushed into the entrances," stated a statement from the nation's military.
22 others were injured, including five who are in serious state.
A large crowd 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 youth unemployment rate of approximately thirty-two percent, the latest government statistics indicate, and such enlistment drives typically attract massive gatherings and often lead to chaotic scenes.
The deadline to submit applications for this recruitment was prolonged for a week to accommodate additional candidates, as a number had faced difficulties in the process.
Army spokesperson Captain Veronica Adzo Arhin said the stampede occurred before the event's scheduled start of 06:20 GMT.
The nation's leader John Mahama has visited the wounded in hospital.
Calm has been restored, and the recruitment exercise has now begun.
