At Least Six Lose Their Lives in Stampede at Ghanaian Military Recruitment Drive
No fewer than six people have lost their lives amid a crowd crush at a armed forces enlistment gathering held in a sports arena in the West African nation.
The Wednesday's "devastating" incident seems to have been caused by "a sudden rush of applicants who overcame security measures and stormed the gates," announced a statement from the nation's military.
22 additional individuals were hurt, including five who are in critical condition.
Thousands had gathered at the El-Wak sports venue, in the capital, Accra, with the hope of enlisting in the military.
The country has a rate of joblessness among young people of about 32%, the most recent government statistics show, and such enlistment drives typically attract large crowds and frequently lead to disorderly situations.
The deadline to apply for this event was extended by a seven days to allow for additional candidates, as some had experienced difficulties in the application procedure.
Military representative Capt Veronica Adzo Arhin stated the crush occurred before the event's scheduled start of 6:20 AM Greenwich Mean Time.
The nation's leader John Mahama has gone to see the wounded in hospital.
Calm has been restored, and the enlistment process has now begun.
