No Fewer Than Six Lose Their Lives in Crowd Crush at Ghanaian Armed Forces Enlistment Event
At least 6 people have lost their lives during a crowd crush at a armed forces enlistment event held in a stadium in the West African nation.
The Wednesday's "tragic" event seems to have been triggered by "an unexpected surge of applicants who overcame security measures and stormed the gates," stated a release from Ghana's armed forces.
22 others were hurt, among them five who are in critical condition.
Thousands had turned up at the El-Wak sports venue, in the main city, the capital, with the aspiration of joining the military.
The country has a youth unemployment rate of about 32%, the most recent official data show, and such enlistment drives typically attract massive gatherings and frequently lead to chaotic scenes.
The deadline to submit applications for this recruitment was extended by a seven days to allow for additional candidates, as a number had experienced challenges in the process.
Army spokesperson Capt Veronica Adzo Arhin said the stampede occurred ahead of the event's scheduled start of 06:20 GMT.
The nation's leader President John Mahama has gone to see the wounded in hospital.
Order has been restored, and the enlistment process has now started.
