No Fewer Than Six Perish in Crowd Crush at Ghana Armed Forces Enlistment Drive
No fewer than six individuals have died amid a stampede at a armed forces enlistment event held in a sports arena in Ghana.
The midweek "devastating" event seems to have been triggered by "a sudden rush of candidates who overcame security measures and rushed into the entrances," announced a release from Ghana's armed forces.
Twenty-two additional individuals were hurt, among them five who are in serious state.
Thousands had turned up at the El-Wak sports venue, in the main city, the capital, with the aspiration of joining the armed forces.
The country has a youth unemployment rate of about 32%, the most recent government statistics show, and such recruitment events typically draw massive gatherings and frequently lead to disorderly situations.
The closing date to submit applications for this recruitment was extended by a week to accommodate additional candidates, as a number had faced challenges in the application procedure.
Army spokesperson Capt Veronica Adzo Arhin stated the crush took place ahead of the event's scheduled start of 06:20 GMT.
Ghana's President President John Mahama has visited the injured in medical care.
Calm has been restored, and the recruitment exercise has now started.
