At Least Six Lose Their Lives in Stampede at Ghana Military Recruitment Drive
At least 6 people have lost their lives amid a crowd crush at a armed forces enlistment event held in a sports arena in the West African nation.
The Wednesday's "tragic" event seems to have been triggered by "a sudden rush of candidates who breached security protocols and rushed into the gates," stated a statement from the nation's military.
Twenty-two others were hurt, among them 5 who are in serious state.
A large crowd had turned up at El-Wak stadium, in the main city, the capital, with the hope of joining the armed forces.
Ghana has a youth unemployment rate of approximately 32%, the latest official data indicate, and such enlistment drives normally attract large crowds and frequently result in disorderly situations.
The closing date to apply for this event was extended by a seven days to allow for more applicants, as some had experienced difficulties in the application procedure.
Military representative Capt Veronica Adzo Arhin stated the crush took place ahead of the event's scheduled start of 6:20 AM Greenwich Mean Time.
Ghana's President President John Mahama has gone to see the injured in hospital.
Order has been reestablished, and the enlistment process has since begun.
