At Least 6 Perish in Crowd Crush at Ghana Armed Forces Enlistment Drive
At least 6 people have died amid a stampede at a military recruitment event held in a stadium in Ghana.
The Wednesday's "devastating" incident seems to have been caused by "an unexpected surge of applicants who breached security protocols and stormed the entrances," stated a release from the nation's military.
Twenty-two others were injured, among them 5 who are in serious state.
Thousands had gathered at El-Wak stadium, in the capital, the capital, with the hope of joining the military.
The country has a rate of joblessness among young people of approximately 32%, the most recent official data indicate, and such recruitment events typically draw large crowds and frequently lead to disorderly situations.
The closing date to submit applications for this recruitment was extended by a week to accommodate additional candidates, as some had experienced challenges in the process.
Army spokesperson Captain Veronica Adzo Arhin said the crush took place ahead of the planned commencement time of 6:20 AM Greenwich Mean Time.
The nation's leader John Mahama has gone to see the injured in hospital.
Calm has been restored, and the recruitment exercise has since started.
