No Fewer Than 6 Lose Their Lives in Crowd Crush at Ghana Military Recruitment Drive
At least 6 individuals have lost their lives amid a stampede at a military recruitment gathering held in a stadium in the West African nation.
The midweek "tragic" event seems to have been triggered by "a sudden rush of applicants who breached security protocols and stormed the gates," announced a release from the nation's military.
Twenty-two others were injured, including five who remain in serious state.
Thousands had gathered at El-Wak stadium, in the main city, Accra, with the hope of enlisting in the armed forces.
The country has a youth unemployment rate of about thirty-two percent, the latest government statistics show, and such recruitment events normally attract large crowds and frequently lead to chaotic scenes.
The closing date to submit applications for this event was prolonged for a week to accommodate additional candidates, as some had experienced challenges in the process.
Army spokesperson Capt Veronica Adzo Arhin stated the crush took place before the event's scheduled start of 06:20 GMT.
The nation's leader President John Mahama has visited the wounded in hospital.
Calm has been restored, and the recruitment exercise has since begun.
