No Fewer Than 6 Lose Their Lives in Stampede at Ghana Military Recruitment Drive
At least 6 individuals have died during a crowd crush at a military recruitment gathering held in a sports arena in the West African nation.
The Wednesday's "devastating" event appeared to have been caused by "an unexpected surge of candidates who breached security protocols and stormed the gates," announced a statement from the nation's military.
22 additional individuals were hurt, including five who remain in critical condition.
Thousands had turned up at the El-Wak sports venue, in the main city, Accra, with the aspiration of joining the armed forces.
The country has a youth unemployment rate of approximately 32%, the latest government statistics indicate, and such recruitment events typically attract large crowds and frequently lead to disorderly situations.
The closing date to apply for this recruitment was extended by a seven days to allow for additional candidates, as some had experienced challenges in the application procedure.
Army spokesperson Capt Veronica Adzo Arhin said the crush took place before the event's scheduled start of 6:20 AM Greenwich Mean Time.
The nation's leader John Mahama has gone to see the injured in hospital.
Calm has been reestablished, and the recruitment exercise has now started.
