At Least Six Perish in Stampede at Ghana Armed Forces Enlistment Drive
At least six people have lost their lives during a crowd crush at a armed forces enlistment gathering held in a sports arena in Ghana.
The midweek "devastating" incident appeared to have been triggered by "an unexpected surge of candidates who breached security protocols and rushed into the gates," announced a release from Ghana's armed forces.
Twenty-two others were injured, including five who are in serious state.
Thousands had turned up at El-Wak stadium, in the capital, the capital, with the aspiration of enlisting in the military.
The country has a rate of joblessness among young people of approximately thirty-two percent, the most recent government statistics indicate, and such recruitment events typically draw large crowds and often result in disorderly situations.
The closing date to apply for this recruitment was prolonged for a week to accommodate more applicants, as some had faced difficulties in the application procedure.
Military representative Captain Veronica Adzo Arhin stated the stampede occurred ahead of the planned commencement time of 6:20 AM Greenwich Mean Time.
The nation's leader John Mahama has visited the injured in hospital.
Order has been reestablished, and the recruitment exercise has now started.
