No Fewer Than 6 Perish in Crowd Crush at Ghana Military Recruitment Drive
No fewer than 6 people have lost their lives amid a crowd crush at a armed forces enlistment gathering held in a sports arena in the West African nation.
The Wednesday's "tragic" incident seems to have been triggered by "an unexpected surge of candidates who breached security protocols and rushed into the entrances," stated a statement from the nation's military.
22 others were injured, including five who remain in critical condition.
Thousands had gathered at the El-Wak sports venue, in the capital, the capital, with the aspiration of joining the armed forces.
The country has a rate of joblessness among young people of about thirty-two percent, the latest official data show, and such enlistment drives normally attract massive gatherings and frequently result in disorderly situations.
The closing date to submit applications for this event was extended by a seven days to accommodate additional candidates, as a number had experienced challenges in the process.
Army spokesperson Captain Veronica Adzo Arhin said the stampede occurred ahead of the planned commencement time of 6:20 AM Greenwich Mean Time.
The nation's leader John Mahama has visited the injured in hospital.
Calm has been restored, and the enlistment process has now begun.
