No Fewer Than Six Lose Their Lives in Crowd Crush at Ghanaian Military Recruitment Drive
At least six people have died during a crowd crush at a military recruitment gathering held in a stadium in Ghana.
The Wednesday's "devastating" incident appeared to have been triggered by "an unexpected surge of candidates who breached security protocols and stormed the gates," announced a statement from Ghana's armed forces.
Twenty-two others were injured, among them five who remain in critical condition.
A large crowd had turned up at the El-Wak sports venue, in the main city, the capital, with the hope of enlisting in the armed forces.
Ghana has a youth unemployment rate of approximately 32%, the most recent official data show, and such recruitment events typically attract massive gatherings and often result in chaotic scenes.
The closing date to apply for this recruitment was prolonged for a week to allow for additional candidates, as a number had experienced challenges in the process.
Army spokesperson Capt Veronica Adzo Arhin said the crush occurred ahead of the planned commencement time of 6:20 AM Greenwich Mean Time.
The nation's leader John Mahama has visited the injured in medical care.
Calm has been reestablished, and the enlistment process has since begun.
