No Fewer Than 6 Perish in Stampede at Ghana Military Recruitment Drive
At least six individuals have lost their lives amid a stampede at a armed forces enlistment gathering held in a sports arena in Ghana.
The midweek "tragic" event appeared to have been triggered by "a sudden rush of applicants who overcame security measures and rushed into the gates," announced a statement from the nation's military.
Twenty-two additional individuals were injured, including 5 who are 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.
Ghana has a youth unemployment rate of approximately thirty-two percent, the most recent government statistics indicate, and such enlistment drives typically attract massive gatherings and often result in chaotic scenes.
The deadline to apply for this event was prolonged for a week to allow for additional candidates, as a number had experienced challenges in the application procedure.
Military representative Capt Veronica Adzo Arhin stated the crush occurred ahead of the event's scheduled start of 06:20 GMT.
Ghana's President John Mahama has gone to see the injured in medical care.
Order has been restored, and the enlistment process has since begun.
