At Least 6 Perish in Stampede at Ghana Armed Forces Enlistment Drive
No fewer than 6 people have lost their lives during a crowd crush at a military recruitment gathering held in a sports arena in Ghana.
The midweek "devastating" event appeared to have been caused by "an unexpected surge of applicants who overcame security measures and rushed into the gates," announced a release from the nation's military.
Twenty-two others were hurt, including five who remain in serious state.
A large crowd had turned up at the El-Wak sports venue, in the main city, the capital, with the hope of enlisting in the armed forces.
The country has a youth unemployment rate of approximately thirty-two percent, the latest government statistics indicate, and such enlistment drives typically attract large crowds and often lead to disorderly situations.
The closing date to submit applications for this recruitment was extended by a week to allow for more applicants, as some had faced challenges in the application procedure.
Military representative 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.
Order has been reestablished, and the enlistment process has now begun.
