No Fewer Than Six Perish in Crowd Crush at Ghanaian Armed Forces Enlistment Drive
At least six individuals have lost their lives during a stampede at a armed forces enlistment event held in a stadium in Ghana.
The midweek "tragic" event seems to have been caused by "an unexpected surge of applicants who overcame security measures and stormed the gates," stated a statement from the nation's military.
22 others were injured, including 5 who are in serious state.
Thousands had gathered at El-Wak stadium, in the capital, Accra, with the hope of joining the armed forces.
Ghana has a rate of joblessness among young people of about 32%, the most recent official data indicate, and such recruitment events typically attract large crowds and frequently lead to disorderly situations.
The closing date to apply for this recruitment was prolonged for a seven days to allow for more applicants, as some had faced difficulties in the application procedure.
Army spokesperson Capt Veronica Adzo Arhin said the stampede occurred ahead of the planned commencement time of 6:20 AM Greenwich Mean Time.
Ghana's President President John Mahama has visited the injured in medical care.
Order has been restored, and the recruitment exercise has since started.
