At Least Six Lose Their Lives in Crowd Crush at Ghanaian Armed Forces Enlistment Event
At least six people have lost their lives amid a stampede at a military recruitment event held in a stadium in Ghana.
The Wednesday's "tragic" event seems to have been caused by "a sudden rush of applicants who breached security protocols and stormed the gates," stated a release from the nation's military.
Twenty-two additional individuals were injured, among them 5 who are in critical condition.
Thousands had gathered at El-Wak stadium, in the capital, the capital, with the hope of enlisting in the military.
The country has a rate of joblessness among young people of approximately 32%, the most recent official data indicate, and such recruitment events normally attract massive gatherings and frequently result in disorderly situations.
The deadline to apply for this event was extended by a week to accommodate more applicants, as a number had experienced challenges in the application procedure.
Army spokesperson Capt Veronica Adzo Arhin stated the crush occurred ahead of the planned commencement time of 6:20 AM Greenwich Mean Time.
The nation's leader President John Mahama has gone to see the wounded in hospital.
Order has been restored, and the enlistment process has now started.