At Least Six Lose Their Lives in Stampede at Ghana Military Recruitment Event
No fewer than six people have lost their lives amid a crowd crush at a armed forces enlistment event held in a sports arena in Ghana.
The Wednesday's "tragic" incident appeared to have been triggered by "an unexpected surge of candidates who overcame security measures and rushed into the entrances," stated a release from Ghana's armed forces.
Twenty-two others were injured, among them 5 who are in critical condition.
A large crowd had turned up at the El-Wak sports venue, in the capital, Accra, with the aspiration of enlisting in the military.
The country has a rate of joblessness among young people of approximately thirty-two percent, the latest official data indicate, and such recruitment events normally attract massive gatherings and frequently result in disorderly situations.
The closing date to submit applications for this event was prolonged for a week to allow for more applicants, as a number had experienced challenges in the process.
Army spokesperson Captain Veronica Adzo Arhin said the crush occurred before the planned commencement time of 06:20 GMT.
The nation's leader President John Mahama has gone to see the wounded in hospital.
Order has been reestablished, and the enlistment process has now begun.
