No Fewer Than Six Perish in Stampede at Ghanaian Military Recruitment Drive
At least 6 individuals have lost their lives amid a stampede at a armed forces enlistment gathering held in a stadium in Ghana.
The midweek "devastating" incident seems to have been caused by "an unexpected surge of candidates who overcame security measures and rushed into the entrances," announced a release from the nation's military.
Twenty-two additional individuals were hurt, including 5 who are in critical condition.
A large crowd had gathered at El-Wak stadium, in the capital, Accra, with the hope of joining the armed forces.
Ghana has a youth unemployment rate of approximately thirty-two percent, the latest official data show, and such enlistment drives normally attract large crowds and often result in chaotic scenes.
The deadline to submit applications for this event was prolonged for a seven days to accommodate additional candidates, as some had faced challenges in the application procedure.
Military representative Capt Veronica Adzo Arhin said the crush took place ahead of the planned commencement time of 6:20 AM Greenwich Mean Time.
Ghana's President President John Mahama has gone to see the injured in medical care.
Order has been restored, and the enlistment process has since begun.
