At Least 6 Lose Their Lives in Stampede at Ghanaian Military Recruitment Drive
At least 6 people have died amid a crowd crush at a armed forces enlistment gathering held in a stadium in Ghana.
The Wednesday's "devastating" event seems to have been caused by "a sudden rush of candidates who overcame security measures and stormed the gates," stated a statement from the nation's military.
22 others were injured, including 5 who are in critical condition.
Thousands had turned up at the El-Wak sports venue, in the main city, Accra, with the hope of enlisting in the military.
Ghana has a youth unemployment rate of approximately thirty-two percent, the latest government statistics show, and such enlistment drives typically draw massive gatherings and frequently result in disorderly situations.
The deadline to submit applications for this event was prolonged for a seven days to accommodate more applicants, as a number had experienced difficulties in the application procedure.
Army spokesperson Capt Veronica Adzo Arhin stated 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 hospital.
Order has been reestablished, and the recruitment exercise has now started.
