No Fewer Than 6 Perish in Crowd Crush at Ghana Military Recruitment Event
At least 6 individuals have lost their lives during a stampede at a military recruitment gathering held in a sports arena in Ghana.
The midweek "tragic" incident seems to have been caused by "a sudden rush of candidates who overcame security measures and rushed into the gates," announced a release from Ghana's armed forces.
22 others were hurt, including five who remain in serious state.
A large crowd had turned up at El-Wak stadium, in the main city, the capital, with the hope of joining the military.
The country has a youth unemployment rate of about 32%, the most recent official data show, and such recruitment events normally draw large crowds and frequently result in chaotic scenes.
The deadline to submit applications for this recruitment was prolonged for a seven days to allow for additional candidates, as a number had faced difficulties in the application procedure.
Army spokesperson Captain Veronica Adzo Arhin said the crush occurred ahead of the planned commencement time of 6:20 AM Greenwich Mean Time.
Ghana's President John Mahama has gone to see the wounded in medical care.
Calm has been restored, and the recruitment exercise has now begun.
