No Fewer Than Six Perish in Crowd Crush at Ghanaian Armed Forces Enlistment Event
At least 6 individuals have died amid a crowd crush at a military recruitment gathering held in a sports arena in the West African nation.
The Wednesday's "devastating" event seems to have been triggered by "an unexpected surge of candidates who overcame security measures and stormed the entrances," announced a statement from the nation's military.
Twenty-two additional individuals were injured, among them five who remain in serious state.
A large crowd had gathered at the El-Wak sports venue, in the capital, 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 latest government statistics indicate, and such enlistment drives typically attract massive gatherings and frequently result in chaotic scenes.
The closing date to submit applications for this event was prolonged for a week to accommodate more applicants, as a number had faced difficulties in the application procedure.
Army spokesperson Captain Veronica Adzo Arhin stated the stampede took place ahead of the event's scheduled start of 06:20 GMT.
Ghana's President John Mahama has gone to see the wounded in hospital.
Order has been restored, and the enlistment process has now begun.
