At Least Six Perish in Stampede at Ghanaian Armed Forces Enlistment Drive
No fewer than six people have died during a stampede at a armed forces enlistment gathering held in a stadium in Ghana.
The midweek "devastating" event seems to have been triggered by "an unexpected surge of candidates who overcame security measures and stormed the gates," announced a release from the nation's military.
Twenty-two others were injured, including five who are in critical condition.
A large crowd had turned up at El-Wak stadium, in the main city, the capital, with the hope of enlisting in 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 recruitment events typically draw large crowds and frequently lead to chaotic scenes.
The deadline to submit applications for this event was extended by a seven days to allow for more applicants, as some had experienced challenges in the application procedure.
Military representative Captain Veronica Adzo Arhin stated the crush took place ahead of the event's scheduled start of 06:20 GMT.
The nation's leader John Mahama has visited the injured in medical care.
Order has been restored, and the enlistment process has now started.
