No Fewer Than Six Perish in Crowd Crush at Ghana Military Recruitment Event
At least 6 individuals have died amid a stampede at a armed forces enlistment gathering held in a stadium in Ghana.
The midweek "devastating" event appeared to have been triggered by "a sudden rush of candidates who overcame security measures and rushed into the gates," stated a statement from Ghana's armed forces.
22 others were hurt, among them five who remain in serious state.
A large crowd had turned up at the El-Wak sports venue, in the capital, the capital, with the aspiration of joining the military.
Ghana has a rate of joblessness among young people of about thirty-two percent, the latest government statistics indicate, and such recruitment events typically attract massive gatherings and often lead to disorderly situations.
The deadline to apply for this recruitment was extended by a week to allow for more applicants, as a number had faced difficulties in the application procedure.
Military representative Captain Veronica Adzo Arhin said the stampede occurred before the event's scheduled start of 06:20 GMT.
The nation's leader John Mahama has visited the wounded in hospital.
Order has been reestablished, and the recruitment exercise has since started.
