At Least Six Perish in Stampede at Ghanaian Military Recruitment Event
At least six people have died amid a crowd crush at a armed forces enlistment gathering held in a sports arena in the West African nation.
The Wednesday's "devastating" event seems to have been triggered by "a sudden rush of applicants who breached security protocols and rushed into the entrances," stated a statement from the nation's military.
Twenty-two others were hurt, among them 5 who are in serious state.
Thousands had gathered at the El-Wak sports venue, in the capital, the capital, with the aspiration of joining the armed forces.
Ghana has a youth unemployment rate of approximately 32%, the most recent official data indicate, and such recruitment events normally draw large crowds and frequently lead to disorderly situations.
The deadline to apply for this recruitment was prolonged for a seven days to allow for additional candidates, as some had experienced challenges in the application procedure.
Military representative Capt Veronica Adzo Arhin stated the crush occurred before the planned commencement time of 6:20 AM Greenwich Mean Time.
The nation's leader President John Mahama has visited the wounded in hospital.
Order has been reestablished, and the enlistment process has since begun.