No Fewer Than Six Perish in Crowd Crush at Ghana Military Recruitment Drive
At least six individuals have lost their lives during a crowd crush at a military recruitment gathering held in a sports arena in Ghana.
The midweek "devastating" event appeared to have been triggered by "an unexpected surge of applicants who breached security protocols and rushed into the gates," stated a statement from Ghana's armed forces.
22 additional individuals were injured, including five who remain in serious state.
A large crowd had turned up at El-Wak stadium, in the main city, Accra, with the aspiration of joining the armed forces.
The country has a rate of joblessness among young people of approximately thirty-two percent, the most recent government statistics indicate, and such enlistment drives normally attract massive gatherings and frequently result in disorderly situations.
The closing date to submit applications for this event was prolonged for a seven days to allow for additional candidates, as a number had experienced challenges in the process.
Army spokesperson Captain Veronica Adzo Arhin stated the stampede took place 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.
Order has been reestablished, and the recruitment exercise has now started.
