No Fewer Than Six Lose Their Lives in Stampede at Ghana 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 sports arena in Ghana.
The midweek "tragic" event appeared to have been caused by "an unexpected surge of applicants who breached security protocols and rushed into the entrances," announced a release from the nation's military.
Twenty-two additional individuals were injured, among them 5 who remain in serious state.
Thousands had gathered at El-Wak stadium, in the main city, the capital, with the aspiration of joining the armed forces.
Ghana has a youth unemployment rate of about 32%, the most recent government statistics show, and such enlistment drives typically attract large crowds and frequently result in disorderly situations.
The closing date to submit applications for this event was prolonged for a seven days to accommodate additional candidates, as some had faced challenges in the process.
Military representative Capt Veronica Adzo Arhin stated the stampede occurred ahead of the event's scheduled start of 6:20 AM Greenwich Mean Time.
Ghana's President President John Mahama has gone to see the wounded in medical care.
Order has been restored, and the recruitment exercise has since begun.
