At Least 6 Lose Their Lives in Stampede at Ghanaian Military Recruitment Event
At least six individuals have lost their lives during a stampede at a armed forces enlistment event held in a sports arena in Ghana.
The Wednesday's "devastating" event seems to have been caused by "an unexpected surge of applicants who breached security protocols and rushed into the entrances," stated a statement from the nation's military.
Twenty-two additional individuals were hurt, among them 5 who are in critical condition.
A large crowd had gathered at El-Wak stadium, in the capital, Accra, with the hope of enlisting in the armed forces.
The country has a rate of joblessness among young people of approximately thirty-two percent, the latest official data indicate, and such enlistment drives typically draw large crowds and frequently result in chaotic scenes.
The closing date to submit applications for this recruitment was prolonged for a week to accommodate additional candidates, as a number had experienced difficulties in the application procedure.
Military representative Capt Veronica Adzo Arhin stated the stampede occurred before the event's scheduled start of 06:20 GMT.
Ghana's President John Mahama has gone to see the wounded in hospital.
Order has been restored, and the enlistment process has since started.
