No Fewer Than Six Perish in Crowd Crush at Ghanaian Armed Forces Enlistment Event
At least 6 individuals have died during a crowd crush at a military recruitment gathering held in a stadium in the West African nation.
The Wednesday's "devastating" event appeared to have been caused by "an unexpected surge of candidates who overcame security measures and stormed the gates," stated a statement from Ghana's armed forces.
22 others were injured, including 5 who remain in critical condition.
A large crowd had gathered at El-Wak stadium, in the main city, the capital, with the hope of enlisting in the military.
The country has a rate of joblessness among young people of approximately 32%, the latest government statistics indicate, and such recruitment events typically draw large crowds and frequently result in disorderly situations.
The deadline to apply for this event was extended by a seven days to accommodate additional candidates, as a number had experienced difficulties in the process.
Military representative Capt Veronica Adzo Arhin stated the stampede occurred ahead of the planned commencement time of 6:20 AM Greenwich Mean Time.
The nation's leader John Mahama has gone to see the wounded in hospital.
Calm has been restored, and the recruitment exercise has now begun.
