No Fewer Than Six Perish in Crowd Crush at Ghana Armed Forces Enlistment Event
At least six individuals have lost their lives amid a stampede at a armed forces enlistment event held in a sports arena in the West African nation.
The Wednesday's "tragic" event seems to have been triggered by "an unexpected surge of candidates who overcame security measures and stormed the gates," stated a statement from the nation's military.
22 additional individuals were hurt, including 5 who are in critical condition.
A large crowd had gathered 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 approximately 32%, the most recent official data indicate, and such enlistment drives typically draw large crowds and often result in disorderly situations.
The closing date to submit applications for this recruitment was extended by a week to accommodate more applicants, as a number had experienced challenges in the process.
Army spokesperson Capt Veronica Adzo Arhin said the crush occurred ahead of the event's scheduled start of 6:20 AM Greenwich Mean Time.
The nation's leader John Mahama has visited the wounded in medical care.
Calm has been restored, and the enlistment process has since started.
