No Fewer Than Six Perish in Stampede at Ghana Military Recruitment Event
No fewer than 6 individuals have died amid a crowd crush at a armed forces enlistment event held in a stadium in Ghana.
The Wednesday's "tragic" incident seems to have been triggered by "an unexpected surge of candidates who breached security protocols and stormed the gates," stated a release from the nation's military.
Twenty-two additional individuals were hurt, among them 5 who remain in critical condition.
A large crowd had gathered at El-Wak stadium, in the main city, Accra, with the aspiration of enlisting in the armed forces.
Ghana has a rate of joblessness among young people of about 32%, the most recent official data show, and such enlistment drives typically draw large crowds and frequently lead to chaotic scenes.
The deadline to submit applications for this recruitment was extended by a week to allow for more applicants, as a number had faced difficulties in the process.
Army spokesperson Captain Veronica Adzo Arhin stated the stampede took place before the planned commencement time of 6:20 AM Greenwich Mean Time.
The nation's leader John Mahama has visited the injured in hospital.
Order has been reestablished, and the recruitment exercise has now started.
