At Least Six Lose Their Lives in Crowd Crush at Ghanaian Military Recruitment Event
No fewer than 6 individuals have lost their lives amid a stampede at a military recruitment event held in a sports arena in Ghana.
The Wednesday's "tragic" incident seems to have been triggered by "a sudden rush of applicants who breached security protocols and rushed into the entrances," stated a release from the nation's military.
22 additional individuals were hurt, including 5 who are in critical condition.
A large crowd had gathered at El-Wak stadium, in the capital, the capital, with the hope of enlisting in the armed forces.
Ghana has a youth unemployment rate of approximately 32%, the most recent government statistics indicate, and such recruitment events typically attract massive gatherings and frequently lead to chaotic scenes.
The closing date to apply for this event was extended by a week to allow for additional candidates, as some had faced challenges in the application procedure.
Military representative Captain Veronica Adzo Arhin stated the crush occurred ahead of the planned commencement time of 6:20 AM Greenwich Mean Time.
The nation's leader President John Mahama has visited the wounded in hospital.
Order has been restored, and the enlistment process has now begun.