No Fewer Than 6 Lose Their Lives in Crowd Crush at Ghanaian Armed Forces Enlistment Event
At least 6 people have died amid a stampede at a armed forces enlistment gathering held in a sports arena in Ghana.
The midweek "devastating" incident seems to have been caused by "an unexpected surge of candidates who breached security protocols and stormed the entrances," announced a release from Ghana's armed forces.
Twenty-two others were injured, among them 5 who remain in critical condition.
Thousands had turned up at El-Wak stadium, in the capital, Accra, with the aspiration of enlisting in the military.
The country has a rate of joblessness among young people of about 32%, the most recent government statistics indicate, and such recruitment events typically attract massive gatherings and frequently result in disorderly situations.
The deadline to apply for this event was extended by a week to accommodate additional candidates, as a number had faced difficulties in the process.
Army spokesperson Capt Veronica Adzo Arhin stated the crush occurred ahead of the planned commencement time of 6:20 AM Greenwich Mean Time.
Ghana's President John Mahama has gone to see the wounded in medical care.
Order has been reestablished, and the enlistment process has since started.
