At Least 6 Perish in Stampede at Ghanaian Armed Forces Enlistment Event
At least 6 individuals have lost their lives amid a crowd crush at a armed forces enlistment event held in a stadium in the West African nation.
The Wednesday's "devastating" incident appeared to have been triggered by "an unexpected surge of applicants who breached security protocols and rushed into the entrances," stated a release from Ghana's armed forces.
Twenty-two additional individuals were hurt, among them 5 who are in critical condition.
Thousands had turned up at the El-Wak sports venue, in the capital, Accra, with the hope of enlisting in the armed forces.
Ghana has a rate of joblessness among young people of about thirty-two percent, the latest official data indicate, and such enlistment drives normally attract large crowds and often result in disorderly situations.
The closing date to submit applications for this event was extended by a seven days to accommodate more applicants, as a number had experienced difficulties in the application procedure.
Military representative Captain Veronica Adzo Arhin stated the stampede took place ahead of the event's scheduled start of 06:20 GMT.
Ghana's President President John Mahama has gone to see the injured in medical care.
Calm has been restored, and the recruitment exercise has now begun.
