No Fewer Than 6 Perish in Crowd Crush at Ghana Military Recruitment Drive
At least six individuals have died amid a stampede at a armed forces enlistment gathering held in a sports arena in Ghana.
The midweek "tragic" incident seems to have been caused by "a sudden rush of candidates who breached security protocols and rushed into the entrances," announced a statement from Ghana's armed forces.
22 others were injured, including 5 who remain in serious state.
Thousands had turned up at the El-Wak sports venue, in the capital, Accra, with the hope of joining the military.
Ghana has a youth unemployment rate of about 32%, the latest official data indicate, and such enlistment drives typically draw large crowds and frequently lead to disorderly situations.
The closing date to apply for this event was extended by a seven days to accommodate additional candidates, as a number had faced challenges in the application procedure.
Military representative Captain Veronica Adzo Arhin stated the crush took place ahead of the event's scheduled start of 6:20 AM Greenwich Mean Time.
The nation's leader President John Mahama has visited the injured in medical care.
Calm has been reestablished, and the enlistment process has now begun.
