No Fewer Than 6 Lose Their Lives in Stampede at Ghanaian Armed Forces Enlistment Drive
No fewer than 6 people have lost their lives during a crowd crush at a armed forces enlistment gathering held in a stadium in Ghana.
The Wednesday's "tragic" incident appeared to have been triggered by "an unexpected surge of applicants who breached security protocols and rushed into the gates," stated a release from the nation's military.
Twenty-two others were injured, including five who remain in critical condition.
A large crowd had gathered at El-Wak stadium, in the main city, the capital, with the aspiration of joining the armed forces.
The country has a rate of joblessness among young people of approximately 32%, the most recent official data indicate, and such recruitment events typically attract large crowds and often result in disorderly situations.
The deadline to submit applications for this event was prolonged for a week to accommodate more applicants, as a number had experienced difficulties in the process.
Army spokesperson Captain Veronica Adzo Arhin said the crush took place before the planned commencement time of 06:20 GMT.
Ghana's President John Mahama has visited the injured in hospital.
Calm has been restored, and the recruitment exercise has now started.
