No Fewer Than 6 Perish in Stampede at Ghanaian Military Recruitment Drive
At least six individuals have lost their lives amid a stampede at a military recruitment gathering held in a sports arena in Ghana.
The midweek "tragic" incident seems to have been triggered by "a sudden rush of applicants who breached security protocols and rushed into the gates," announced a statement from Ghana's armed forces.
22 additional individuals were injured, among them 5 who are in serious state.
A large crowd had gathered at the El-Wak sports venue, in the main city, Accra, with the hope of enlisting in the armed forces.
Ghana has a rate of joblessness among young people of approximately 32%, the most recent government statistics show, and such recruitment events typically draw massive gatherings and frequently lead to disorderly situations.
The closing date to apply for this event was extended by a week to accommodate more applicants, as a number had faced difficulties in the process.
Military representative Capt Veronica Adzo Arhin stated the crush took place ahead of the event's scheduled start of 06:20 GMT.
The nation's leader John Mahama has visited the injured in medical care.
Order has been restored, and the enlistment process has now started.
