At Least 6 Perish in Crowd Crush at Ghanaian Military Recruitment Drive
No fewer than six individuals have lost their lives amid a crowd crush at a military recruitment event held in a sports arena in Ghana.
The Wednesday's "tragic" incident appeared to have been caused by "an unexpected surge of applicants who overcame security measures and stormed the entrances," announced a statement from the nation's military.
Twenty-two additional individuals were injured, among them 5 who remain in critical condition.
A large crowd had gathered at the El-Wak sports venue, in the capital, the capital, with the aspiration of joining the armed forces.
Ghana has a rate of joblessness among young people of about 32%, the most recent government statistics indicate, and such enlistment drives normally draw large crowds and frequently result in chaotic scenes.
The closing date to submit applications for this event was prolonged for a seven days to accommodate more applicants, as a number had experienced difficulties in the process.
Army spokesperson Capt Veronica Adzo Arhin stated the stampede occurred before the planned commencement time of 06:20 GMT.
The nation's leader John Mahama has gone to see the wounded in medical care.
Order has been reestablished, and the enlistment process has since begun.
