No Fewer Than 6 Lose Their Lives in Crowd Crush at Ghana Armed Forces Enlistment Event
No fewer than six people have lost their lives amid a stampede at a armed forces enlistment event held in a sports arena in the West African nation.
The midweek "devastating" event seems to have been caused by "an unexpected surge of applicants who breached security protocols and stormed the entrances," announced a statement from the nation's military.
22 additional individuals were injured, including 5 who remain in serious state.
A large crowd had gathered at El-Wak stadium, in the main city, the capital, with the hope of joining the armed forces.
The country has a rate of joblessness among young people of approximately thirty-two percent, the most recent government statistics indicate, and such enlistment drives typically attract large crowds and often lead to chaotic scenes.
The deadline to apply for this recruitment was extended by a week to allow for additional candidates, as some had faced difficulties in the process.
Army spokesperson Capt Veronica Adzo Arhin said the stampede took place ahead of the event's scheduled start of 06:20 GMT.
The nation's leader John Mahama has visited the injured in medical care.
Calm has been restored, and the enlistment process has now begun.
