No Fewer Than Six Lose Their Lives in Stampede at Ghana Armed Forces Enlistment Drive
No fewer than 6 individuals have lost their lives during a stampede at a armed forces enlistment gathering held in a sports arena in Ghana.
The Wednesday's "tragic" incident seems to have been triggered by "a sudden rush of applicants who breached security protocols and stormed the gates," stated a release from the nation's military.
Twenty-two additional individuals were hurt, including five who remain in serious state.
A large crowd had turned up at the El-Wak sports venue, in the capital, the capital, with the hope of joining the military.
The country has a rate of joblessness among young people of about 32%, the latest government statistics show, and such enlistment drives typically draw massive gatherings and frequently result in disorderly situations.
The closing date to submit applications for this recruitment was prolonged for a week to accommodate more applicants, as some had experienced difficulties in the process.
Military representative Capt Veronica Adzo Arhin said the crush took place ahead of the event's scheduled start of 6:20 AM Greenwich Mean Time.
Ghana's President John Mahama has visited the injured in hospital.
Calm has been restored, and the enlistment process has now begun.
