At Least Six Lose Their Lives in Stampede at Ghana Military Recruitment Drive
At least 6 individuals have died during a stampede at a armed forces enlistment event held in a stadium in the West African nation.
The Wednesday's "devastating" event appeared to have been triggered by "an unexpected surge of applicants who breached security protocols and rushed into the gates," announced a release from the nation's military.
Twenty-two additional individuals were hurt, among them 5 who are in critical condition.
A large crowd had gathered at El-Wak stadium, in the main city, the capital, with the hope of joining the military.
The country has a rate of joblessness among young people of approximately thirty-two percent, the latest official data indicate, and such recruitment events typically draw large crowds and frequently result in chaotic scenes.
The deadline to submit applications for this recruitment was prolonged for a week to allow for additional candidates, as some had faced challenges in the application procedure.
Army spokesperson Captain Veronica Adzo Arhin said the crush occurred ahead of the event's scheduled start of 06:20 GMT.
The nation's leader President John Mahama has gone to see the wounded in medical care.
Calm has been reestablished, and the enlistment process has now started.
