No Fewer Than 6 Lose Their Lives in Crowd Crush at Ghana Military Recruitment Drive
At least 6 people have lost their lives amid a stampede at a military recruitment gathering held in a stadium in Ghana.
The midweek "tragic" incident seems to have been caused by "an unexpected surge of candidates who breached security protocols and stormed the entrances," announced a statement from the nation's military.
Twenty-two others were hurt, including 5 who remain in serious state.
Thousands had turned up at El-Wak stadium, in the capital, the capital, with the hope of joining the military.
Ghana has a youth unemployment rate of approximately 32%, the latest official data indicate, and such recruitment events typically draw large crowds and often result in chaotic scenes.
The deadline to apply for this recruitment was prolonged for a seven days to allow for more applicants, as a number had experienced challenges in the application procedure.
Army spokesperson Captain Veronica Adzo Arhin said the stampede took place ahead of the planned commencement time of 6:20 AM Greenwich Mean Time.
Ghana's President John Mahama has visited the wounded in hospital.
Order has been reestablished, and the enlistment process has now begun.