No Fewer Than Six Perish in Stampede at Ghana Armed Forces Enlistment Drive
At least 6 people have died amid a crowd crush at a military recruitment gathering held in a stadium in Ghana.
The Wednesday's "tragic" incident seems to have been triggered by "an unexpected surge of candidates who overcame security measures and stormed the gates," stated a release from the nation's military.
22 additional individuals were hurt, among them 5 who are in critical condition.
A large crowd had gathered at El-Wak stadium, in the main city, the capital, with the aspiration of joining the military.
Ghana has a rate of joblessness among young people of approximately 32%, the latest government statistics show, and such enlistment drives typically draw massive gatherings and frequently lead to disorderly situations.
The deadline to submit applications for this event was prolonged for a week to allow for more applicants, as a number had faced challenges 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 medical care.
Order has been reestablished, and the recruitment exercise has now begun.
