At Least 6 Perish in Crowd Crush at Ghana Military Recruitment Event
No fewer than 6 people have died amid a crowd crush at a armed forces enlistment gathering held in a stadium in the West African nation.
The Wednesday's "tragic" incident seems to have been caused by "an unexpected surge of candidates who breached security protocols and rushed into the gates," stated a release from the nation's military.
Twenty-two additional individuals were injured, including 5 who remain in serious state.
A large crowd had gathered at the El-Wak sports venue, in the capital, Accra, with the hope of enlisting in the military.
The country has a youth unemployment rate of about thirty-two percent, the most recent government statistics indicate, and such enlistment drives normally draw large crowds and frequently lead to chaotic scenes.
The closing date to submit applications for this recruitment was extended by a seven days to accommodate more applicants, as some had faced difficulties in the process.
Army spokesperson Capt Veronica Adzo Arhin said the stampede occurred before the planned commencement time of 06:20 GMT.
Ghana's President John Mahama has gone to see the injured in hospital.
Order has been restored, and the recruitment exercise has now started.
