At Least Six Perish in Stampede at Ghanaian Armed Forces Enlistment Event
No fewer than six individuals have died during a crowd crush at a military recruitment event held in a stadium in Ghana.
The Wednesday's "tragic" event seems to have been caused by "an unexpected surge of candidates who overcame security measures and stormed the gates," announced a release from Ghana's armed forces.
22 others were injured, including five who remain in serious state.
A large crowd had turned up at El-Wak stadium, in the main city, the capital, with the aspiration of joining the armed forces.
The country has a youth unemployment rate of approximately thirty-two percent, the most recent official data indicate, and such enlistment drives normally draw massive gatherings and frequently result in chaotic scenes.
The closing date to apply for this event was extended by a week to accommodate more applicants, as a number had faced challenges in the process.
Army spokesperson Captain Veronica Adzo Arhin said the crush took place ahead of the event's scheduled start of 6:20 AM Greenwich Mean Time.
Ghana's President John Mahama has visited the injured in hospital.
Order has been restored, and the recruitment exercise has since begun.
