At Least 6 Perish in Stampede at Ghanaian Armed Forces Enlistment Event
No fewer than 6 individuals have died during a stampede at a military recruitment gathering held in a sports arena in the West African nation.
The midweek "devastating" incident appeared to have been caused by "a sudden rush of applicants who overcame security measures and stormed the entrances," stated a release from Ghana's armed forces.
Twenty-two others were injured, among them 5 who remain in critical condition.
Thousands had gathered at the El-Wak sports venue, in the capital, Accra, with the aspiration of enlisting in the armed forces.
Ghana has a rate of joblessness among young people of approximately 32%, the latest government statistics indicate, and such recruitment events normally draw massive gatherings and frequently lead to chaotic scenes.
The deadline to submit applications for this recruitment was prolonged for a seven days to allow for more applicants, as some had faced difficulties in the application procedure.
Military representative Capt Veronica Adzo Arhin stated the crush took place ahead of the event's scheduled start of 06:20 GMT.
Ghana's President President John Mahama has gone to see the injured in medical care.
Calm has been reestablished, and the recruitment exercise has now started.
