No Fewer Than Six Perish in Crowd Crush at Ghana Military Recruitment Event
No fewer than six individuals have lost their lives during a crowd crush at a military recruitment event held in a sports arena in Ghana.
The midweek "devastating" event appeared to have been caused by "a sudden rush of candidates who breached security protocols and stormed the gates," announced a release from the nation's military.
22 others were hurt, including five who are in serious state.
Thousands had gathered at the El-Wak sports venue, in the main city, Accra, with the hope of joining the armed forces.
Ghana has a rate of joblessness among young people of approximately thirty-two percent, the most recent official data show, and such enlistment drives typically draw large crowds and often result in chaotic scenes.
The deadline to submit applications for this event was extended by a week to accommodate more applicants, as a number had faced difficulties in the application procedure.
Army spokesperson Capt Veronica Adzo Arhin stated the stampede took place before the planned commencement time of 06:20 GMT.
The nation's leader President John Mahama has gone to see the injured in medical care.
Order has been restored, and the recruitment exercise has since started.
