At Least Six Lose Their Lives in Stampede at Ghanaian Armed Forces Enlistment Drive
No fewer than six individuals have lost their lives amid a stampede at a military recruitment gathering held in a sports arena in Ghana.
The Wednesday's "devastating" event seems to have been caused by "an unexpected surge of applicants who overcame security measures and stormed the gates," stated a statement from Ghana's armed forces.
Twenty-two others were hurt, including five who remain in serious state.
A large crowd had turned up at El-Wak stadium, in the main city, Accra, with the hope of enlisting in the military.
The country has a youth unemployment rate of about 32%, the latest government statistics show, and such recruitment events typically attract large crowds and often lead to disorderly situations.
The closing date to submit applications for this recruitment was prolonged for a seven days to accommodate additional candidates, as some had faced difficulties in the application procedure.
Army spokesperson Captain Veronica Adzo Arhin stated the crush took place ahead of the event's scheduled start of 06:20 GMT.
The nation's leader President John Mahama has visited the injured in hospital.
Calm has been restored, and the recruitment exercise has since started.
