No Fewer Than Six Perish in Crowd Crush at Ghanaian Armed Forces Enlistment Event
At least six people have lost their lives during a crowd crush at a armed forces enlistment event held in a stadium in the West African nation.
The midweek "tragic" event appeared to have been triggered by "an unexpected surge of candidates who overcame security measures and rushed into the entrances," announced a statement from Ghana's armed forces.
22 others were injured, among them 5 who are in critical condition.
Thousands had gathered at El-Wak stadium, in the main city, Accra, with the aspiration of enlisting in the armed forces.
Ghana has a rate of joblessness among young people of about thirty-two percent, the latest government statistics indicate, and such recruitment events typically draw massive gatherings and frequently lead to chaotic scenes.
The deadline to apply for this recruitment was prolonged for a week to allow for additional candidates, as a number had faced challenges in the process.
Military representative Captain Veronica Adzo Arhin said the stampede occurred before the event's scheduled start of 06:20 GMT.
The nation's leader President John Mahama has gone to see the wounded in hospital.
Order has been restored, and the enlistment process has now begun.
