At Least 6 Perish in Stampede at Ghanaian Armed Forces Enlistment Drive
At least six individuals have died during a crowd crush at a armed forces enlistment gathering held in a sports arena in the West African nation.
The midweek "devastating" incident seems to have been caused by "an unexpected surge of applicants who breached security protocols and stormed the entrances," stated a release from Ghana's armed forces.
22 others were injured, including five who are in critical condition.
A large crowd had turned up at the El-Wak sports venue, in the main city, the capital, with the aspiration of joining the military.
The country has a youth unemployment rate of approximately 32%, the latest official data show, and such enlistment drives typically attract large crowds and frequently result in disorderly situations.
The closing date to submit applications for this event was prolonged for a week to allow for additional candidates, as some had experienced difficulties in the application procedure.
Army spokesperson Capt Veronica Adzo Arhin said the crush occurred ahead of the planned commencement time of 6:20 AM Greenwich Mean Time.
Ghana's President John Mahama has gone to see the wounded in hospital.
Order has been restored, and the enlistment process has now started.
