No Fewer Than Six Perish in Stampede at Ghana Armed Forces Enlistment Drive
At least 6 individuals have lost their lives amid a crowd crush at a military recruitment gathering held in a sports arena in Ghana.
The midweek "devastating" event appeared to have been triggered by "an unexpected surge of applicants who overcame security measures and stormed the gates," announced a statement from the nation's military.
Twenty-two others were injured, including five who are in critical condition.
A large crowd had gathered at El-Wak stadium, in the main city, Accra, with the aspiration of joining the military.
The country has a youth unemployment rate of about 32%, the latest government statistics show, and such enlistment drives typically attract massive gatherings and often result in chaotic scenes.
The closing date to apply for this event was prolonged for a week to allow for more applicants, as some had faced challenges in the process.
Army spokesperson Captain Veronica Adzo Arhin said the stampede took place before the planned commencement time of 6:20 AM Greenwich Mean Time.
Ghana's President John Mahama has visited the injured in medical care.
Calm has been restored, and the enlistment process has now started.
