No Fewer Than Six Perish in Stampede at Ghanaian Armed Forces Enlistment Event
No fewer than 6 people have lost their lives during a crowd crush at a armed forces enlistment gathering held in a stadium in the West African nation.
The Wednesday's "tragic" event seems to have been triggered by "a sudden rush of applicants who breached security protocols and stormed the entrances," announced a release from Ghana's armed forces.
22 others were hurt, including 5 who remain in serious state.
A large crowd 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 approximately thirty-two percent, the latest official data indicate, and such enlistment drives normally 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 additional candidates, as a number had faced challenges in the process.
Military representative Captain Veronica Adzo Arhin stated the stampede took place before the event's scheduled start of 06:20 GMT.
Ghana's President President John Mahama has visited the wounded in hospital.
Order has been reestablished, and the recruitment exercise has now begun.
