No Fewer Than Six Lose Their Lives in Crowd Crush at Ghanaian Armed Forces Enlistment Event
At least six individuals have lost their lives during a crowd crush at a armed forces enlistment event held in a sports arena in the West African nation.
The midweek "devastating" incident appeared to have been triggered by "a sudden rush of applicants who breached security protocols and rushed into the entrances," stated a release from the nation's military.
Twenty-two additional individuals were hurt, including five who remain in serious state.
Thousands had gathered at El-Wak stadium, in the main city, the capital, with the aspiration of enlisting in the military.
Ghana has a rate of joblessness among young people of approximately thirty-two percent, the most recent official data show, and such enlistment drives normally draw massive gatherings and often result in chaotic scenes.
The closing date to apply for this recruitment was prolonged for a seven days to allow for more applicants, as a number had experienced difficulties in the application procedure.
Army spokesperson Captain Veronica Adzo Arhin said the stampede occurred ahead of 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 enlistment process has since begun.
