No Fewer Than 6 Lose Their Lives in Stampede at Ghana Military Recruitment Event
No fewer than six people have lost their lives amid a stampede at a armed forces enlistment event held in a stadium in the West African nation.
The midweek "devastating" incident appeared to have been triggered by "an unexpected surge of applicants who overcame security measures and rushed into the entrances," stated a statement from Ghana's armed forces.
Twenty-two others were injured, including 5 who remain in critical condition.
A large crowd had gathered at El-Wak stadium, in the main city, Accra, with the hope of joining the armed forces.
The country has a youth unemployment rate of approximately 32%, the latest government statistics indicate, and such enlistment drives typically draw large crowds and often lead to disorderly situations.
The closing date to submit applications for this event was extended by a seven days to accommodate additional candidates, as some had faced difficulties in the application procedure.
Army spokesperson Captain Veronica Adzo Arhin said the stampede occurred before the planned commencement time of 6:20 AM Greenwich Mean Time.
The nation's leader John Mahama has visited the wounded in hospital.
Calm has been restored, and the recruitment exercise has since begun.
