At Least Six Perish in Stampede at Ghanaian Armed Forces Enlistment Event
At least six people have died during a crowd crush at a military recruitment event held in a stadium in Ghana.
The midweek "devastating" event seems to have been triggered by "a sudden rush of applicants who breached security protocols and stormed the entrances," announced a release from Ghana's armed forces.
22 others were injured, among them five who are in serious state.
Thousands had gathered at El-Wak stadium, in the main city, the capital, with the aspiration of joining the military.
The country has a youth unemployment rate of about thirty-two percent, the most recent official data indicate, and such enlistment drives typically draw large crowds and frequently lead to disorderly situations.
The closing date to submit applications for this event was extended by a week to allow for more applicants, as some had experienced challenges in the process.
Army spokesperson Captain Veronica Adzo Arhin said the crush took place before the event's scheduled start of 6:20 AM Greenwich Mean Time.
Ghana's President John Mahama has gone to see the wounded in medical care.
Calm has been reestablished, and the recruitment exercise has since started.
