At Least Six Lose Their Lives in Crowd Crush at Ghanaian Military Recruitment Event
At least six individuals have lost their lives amid a stampede at a military recruitment event held in a stadium in Ghana.
The Wednesday's "devastating" event seems to have been triggered by "an unexpected surge of applicants who overcame security measures and stormed the entrances," stated a statement from Ghana's armed forces.
22 others were injured, among them five who remain in serious state.
Thousands had gathered at the El-Wak sports venue, in the main city, the capital, with the hope of joining the armed forces.
Ghana has a rate of joblessness among young people of about thirty-two percent, the most recent government statistics indicate, and such recruitment events normally draw massive gatherings and frequently result in chaotic scenes.
The deadline to apply for this event was extended by a week to accommodate more applicants, as a number had experienced difficulties in the process.
Army spokesperson Captain Veronica Adzo Arhin said the crush took place before the event's scheduled start of 06:20 GMT.
Ghana's President President John Mahama has visited the injured in medical care.
Calm has been restored, and the recruitment exercise has since begun.
