At Least 6 Lose Their Lives in Crowd Crush at Ghanaian Military Recruitment Event
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 triggered by "an unexpected surge of candidates who overcame security measures and rushed into the gates," stated a release from Ghana's armed forces.
Twenty-two additional individuals were hurt, among them five who remain in serious state.
A large crowd had gathered at El-Wak stadium, in the main city, the capital, with the aspiration of joining the military.
The country has a youth unemployment rate of about 32%, the most recent government statistics indicate, and such recruitment events typically attract large crowds and frequently lead to disorderly situations.
The deadline to submit applications for this recruitment was extended by a week to accommodate more applicants, as a number had faced challenges in the application procedure.
Military representative Capt Veronica Adzo Arhin stated the crush occurred ahead of the event's scheduled start of 6:20 AM Greenwich Mean Time.
The nation's leader President John Mahama has visited the injured in hospital.
Order has been restored, and the enlistment process has since started.
