At Least Six Perish in Stampede at Ghana Military Recruitment Drive
At least six individuals have lost their lives amid a crowd crush at a military recruitment event held in a stadium in the West African nation.
The Wednesday's "tragic" incident appeared to have been caused by "a sudden rush of candidates who breached security protocols and stormed the gates," stated a release from the nation's military.
Twenty-two additional individuals were hurt, including five who are in critical condition.
A large crowd had turned up at El-Wak stadium, in the main city, 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 show, and such recruitment events typically attract massive gatherings and frequently lead to disorderly situations.
The closing date to submit applications for this event was prolonged for a week to allow for additional candidates, as a number had faced difficulties in the process.
Military representative Captain Veronica Adzo Arhin stated the crush took place before the event's scheduled start of 6:20 AM Greenwich Mean Time.
The nation's leader President John Mahama has gone to see the injured in medical care.
Order has been reestablished, and the recruitment exercise has since started.
