At Least 6 Perish in Crowd Crush at Ghana Armed Forces Enlistment Event
No fewer than six people have died amid a stampede at a armed forces enlistment event held in a sports arena in the West African nation.
The Wednesday's "tragic" incident seems to have been triggered by "a sudden rush of candidates who breached security protocols and stormed the gates," stated a statement from Ghana's armed forces.
Twenty-two additional individuals were hurt, including five who are in critical condition.
Thousands had gathered at the El-Wak sports venue, in the capital, the capital, with the aspiration of joining the military.
The country has a rate of joblessness among young people of approximately thirty-two percent, the most recent official data show, and such enlistment drives normally attract large crowds and frequently result in chaotic scenes.
The deadline to submit applications for this event was extended by a week to allow for additional candidates, as some had faced difficulties in the application procedure.
Army spokesperson Capt Veronica Adzo Arhin said the crush occurred ahead of the event's scheduled start of 06:20 GMT.
Ghana's President John Mahama has visited the injured in medical care.
Calm has been restored, and the recruitment exercise has since begun.
