At Least 6 Perish in Crowd Crush at Ghana Military Recruitment Event
At least six people have lost their lives during a crowd crush at a armed forces enlistment gathering held in a sports arena in Ghana.
The midweek "tragic" incident seems to have been triggered by "an unexpected surge of applicants who overcame security measures and stormed the entrances," stated a statement from the nation's military.
22 additional individuals were hurt, among them 5 who are in serious state.
A large crowd had turned up at El-Wak stadium, in the capital, Accra, with the aspiration of joining the armed forces.
The country has a youth unemployment rate of about 32%, the latest government statistics indicate, and such recruitment events typically draw massive gatherings and often result in disorderly situations.
The closing date to apply for this recruitment was prolonged for a seven days to accommodate additional candidates, as some had faced challenges in the process.
Army spokesperson Capt Veronica Adzo Arhin stated the stampede occurred ahead of the event's scheduled start of 6:20 AM Greenwich Mean Time.
The nation's leader John Mahama has visited the wounded in medical care.
Calm has been reestablished, and the enlistment process has now started.
