At Least Six Lose Their Lives in Crowd Crush at Ghana Military Recruitment Drive
At least six people have died during a stampede at a military recruitment gathering held in a stadium in the West African nation.
The midweek "tragic" event appeared to have been caused by "a sudden rush of applicants who overcame security measures and rushed into the entrances," announced a statement from the nation's military.
22 additional individuals were hurt, including five who are in critical condition.
Thousands had gathered at El-Wak stadium, in the capital, the capital, with the hope of joining the military.
Ghana has a youth unemployment rate of approximately 32%, the latest official data show, and such enlistment drives typically draw large crowds and often result in chaotic scenes.
The deadline to submit applications for this event was prolonged for a week to accommodate more applicants, as a number had faced challenges in the process.
Army spokesperson Capt Veronica Adzo Arhin stated the stampede took place before the event's scheduled start of 6:20 AM Greenwich Mean Time.
The nation's leader John Mahama has gone to see the wounded in hospital.
Order has been reestablished, and the recruitment exercise has now begun.
