No Fewer Than 6 Perish in Stampede at Ghanaian Armed Forces Enlistment Drive
At least six individuals have lost their lives amid a stampede at a armed forces enlistment event held in a stadium in the West African nation.
The midweek "tragic" event seems to have been caused by "an unexpected surge of applicants who breached security protocols and stormed the gates," stated a statement from the nation's military.
Twenty-two others were injured, including five who remain in critical condition.
Thousands had turned up at the El-Wak sports venue, in the capital, the capital, with the hope of joining the armed forces.
The country has a rate of joblessness among young people of about thirty-two percent, the latest official data show, and such recruitment events normally attract large crowds and often result in disorderly situations.
The deadline to submit applications for this recruitment was extended by a week to allow for more applicants, as a number had faced challenges in the process.
Military representative Capt Veronica Adzo Arhin said the crush occurred ahead of the planned commencement time of 6:20 AM Greenwich Mean Time.
The nation's leader John Mahama has visited the wounded in medical care.
Calm has been reestablished, and the enlistment process has since begun.
