At Least Six Lose Their Lives in Crowd Crush at Ghanaian Armed Forces Enlistment Drive
At least 6 individuals have lost their lives during a stampede at a armed forces enlistment gathering held in a sports arena in Ghana.
The Wednesday's "tragic" event appeared to have been caused by "a sudden rush of candidates who overcame security measures and stormed the entrances," stated a statement from Ghana's armed forces.
Twenty-two additional individuals were hurt, including 5 who remain in critical condition.
A large crowd had gathered at the El-Wak sports venue, in the main city, Accra, with the hope of enlisting in the armed forces.
The country has a youth unemployment rate of approximately thirty-two percent, the latest official data indicate, and such recruitment events typically draw massive gatherings and often lead to chaotic scenes.
The closing date to apply for this event was extended by a week to allow for more applicants, as a number had experienced difficulties in the application procedure.
Army spokesperson Captain Veronica Adzo Arhin said the crush took place before the event's scheduled start of 6:20 AM Greenwich Mean Time.
The nation's leader John Mahama has visited the injured in medical care.
Calm has been reestablished, and the recruitment exercise has since begun.