No Fewer Than Six Lose Their Lives in Stampede at Ghana Military Recruitment Drive
No fewer than six people have lost their lives during a crowd crush at a armed forces enlistment event held in a stadium in Ghana.
The Wednesday's "tragic" incident seems to have been caused by "a sudden rush of applicants who overcame security measures and rushed into the entrances," announced a release from the nation's military.
22 additional individuals were hurt, among them 5 who remain in critical condition.
Thousands had turned up at El-Wak stadium, in the capital, the capital, with the aspiration of joining the military.
The country has a youth unemployment rate of about 32%, the latest official data indicate, and such enlistment drives typically attract massive gatherings and frequently result in disorderly situations.
The closing date to apply for this event was extended by a seven days to accommodate additional candidates, as a number had experienced challenges in the application procedure.
Army spokesperson Captain Veronica Adzo Arhin stated the stampede occurred ahead of the event's scheduled start of 06:20 GMT.
The nation's leader President John Mahama has gone to see the injured in hospital.
Calm has been reestablished, and the recruitment exercise has since begun.
