At Least Six Lose Their Lives in Stampede at Ghanaian Military Recruitment Event
At least six people have lost their lives during a stampede at a armed forces enlistment event held in a sports arena in Ghana.
The midweek "tragic" incident seems to have been triggered by "an unexpected surge of candidates who overcame security measures and stormed the entrances," stated a release from the nation's military.
Twenty-two additional individuals were hurt, among them five who remain 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 armed forces.
Ghana has a rate of joblessness among young people of approximately thirty-two percent, the latest official data indicate, and such enlistment drives normally attract massive gatherings and frequently result in chaotic scenes.
The deadline to submit applications for this recruitment was extended by a week to allow for additional candidates, as some had faced challenges in the process.
Army spokesperson Captain Veronica Adzo Arhin stated the crush took place before the planned commencement time of 6:20 AM Greenwich Mean Time.
The nation's leader President John Mahama has visited the injured in hospital.
Calm has been reestablished, and the recruitment exercise has now begun.
