No Fewer Than 6 Lose Their Lives in Crowd Crush at Ghana Armed Forces Enlistment Drive
At least six individuals have lost their lives amid a stampede at a armed forces enlistment event held in a sports arena in Ghana.
The Wednesday's "devastating" incident appeared to have been triggered by "an unexpected surge of candidates who breached security protocols and stormed the entrances," announced a release from the nation's military.
22 additional individuals were hurt, including five who remain in serious state.
Thousands had turned up at El-Wak stadium, in the main city, the capital, with the aspiration of enlisting in the military.
The country has a rate of joblessness among young people of about 32%, the latest government statistics show, and such recruitment events typically draw large crowds and frequently result in disorderly situations.
The closing date to apply for this event was extended by a week to allow for more applicants, as a number had faced difficulties in the process.
Military representative Captain Veronica Adzo Arhin said the crush took place ahead of the event's scheduled start of 6:20 AM Greenwich Mean Time.
The nation's leader John Mahama has visited the wounded in hospital.
Order has been restored, and the recruitment exercise has now begun.
