No Fewer Than 6 Lose Their Lives in Crowd Crush at Ghana Armed Forces Enlistment Drive
No fewer than six people have lost their lives amid a stampede at a military recruitment gathering held in a stadium in the West African nation.
The Wednesday's "devastating" incident appeared to have been triggered by "a sudden rush of candidates who overcame security measures and stormed the entrances," announced a statement from Ghana's armed forces.
22 additional individuals were injured, among them five who remain in serious state.
A large crowd had turned up at the El-Wak sports venue, in the capital, the capital, with the aspiration of enlisting in the armed forces.
The country has a rate of joblessness among young people of approximately thirty-two percent, the latest official data indicate, and such recruitment events typically draw large crowds and frequently lead to chaotic scenes.
The deadline to apply for this recruitment was extended by a seven days to accommodate more applicants, as a number had experienced challenges in the process.
Military representative Capt Veronica Adzo Arhin said the stampede occurred ahead of the event's scheduled start of 06:20 GMT.
Ghana's President President John Mahama has visited the wounded in medical care.
Order has been reestablished, and the recruitment exercise has now started.
