No Fewer Than 6 Perish in Stampede at Ghanaian Military Recruitment Event
At least six people have lost their lives amid a stampede at a armed forces enlistment gathering held in a sports arena in Ghana.
The midweek "devastating" event seems to have been caused by "an unexpected surge of applicants who breached security protocols and stormed the gates," stated a statement from Ghana's armed forces.
Twenty-two others were hurt, including 5 who are in critical condition.
A large crowd had turned up at the El-Wak sports venue, in the main city, the capital, with the hope of enlisting in the military.
The country has a youth unemployment rate of about thirty-two percent, the most recent government statistics show, and such enlistment drives normally draw massive gatherings and frequently result in disorderly situations.
The closing date to apply for this recruitment was prolonged for a seven days to allow for more applicants, as some had experienced difficulties in the process.
Military representative Captain Veronica Adzo Arhin said the crush took place ahead of the event's scheduled start of 06:20 GMT.
Ghana's President President John Mahama has visited the wounded in medical care.
Calm has been reestablished, and the recruitment exercise has since begun.
