At Least 6 Perish in Crowd Crush at Ghana Armed Forces Enlistment Event
At least 6 people have died amid a crowd crush at a armed forces enlistment gathering held in a sports arena in the West African nation.
The midweek "tragic" event appeared to have been triggered by "a sudden rush of candidates who breached security protocols and stormed the gates," stated a statement from the nation's military.
Twenty-two additional individuals were injured, including 5 who are in serious state.
Thousands had gathered at the El-Wak sports venue, in the main city, Accra, with the hope of enlisting in the military.
Ghana has a youth unemployment rate of about 32%, the latest official data show, and such recruitment events typically draw massive gatherings and often lead to disorderly situations.
The closing date to apply for this event was prolonged for a seven days to allow for additional candidates, as some had faced difficulties in the process.
Army spokesperson Capt Veronica Adzo Arhin stated the stampede occurred before the event's scheduled start of 06:20 GMT.
The nation's leader President John Mahama has visited the wounded in hospital.
Order has been restored, and the recruitment exercise has since started.
