No Fewer Than Six Perish in Stampede at Ghanaian Military Recruitment Event
At least six individuals have lost their lives during a stampede at a armed forces enlistment event held in a sports arena in Ghana.
The Wednesday's "devastating" event seems to have been caused by "a sudden rush of candidates who overcame security measures and stormed the entrances," announced a statement from the nation's military.
Twenty-two additional individuals were injured, including five who remain in critical condition.
Thousands had turned up at the El-Wak sports venue, in the main city, Accra, with the hope of joining the military.
The country has a youth unemployment rate of about 32%, the latest official data indicate, and such recruitment events normally attract large crowds and frequently lead to disorderly situations.
The deadline to apply for this event was prolonged for a seven days to allow for more applicants, as some had experienced difficulties in the process.
Military representative Captain Veronica Adzo Arhin stated the crush occurred before the event's scheduled start of 6:20 AM Greenwich Mean Time.
Ghana's President John Mahama has visited the wounded in hospital.
Calm has been restored, and the enlistment process has since started.
