At Least Six Perish in Crowd Crush at Ghana Armed Forces Enlistment Event
At least 6 people have lost their lives during a crowd crush at a military recruitment event held in a sports arena in the West African nation.
The midweek "tragic" incident seems to have been caused by "a sudden rush of applicants who overcame security measures and stormed the entrances," announced a statement from Ghana's armed forces.
Twenty-two others were hurt, among them five who are in serious state.
A large crowd had gathered at the El-Wak sports venue, in the capital, the capital, with the hope of joining the military.
The country has a rate of joblessness among young people of approximately thirty-two percent, the most recent official data show, and such recruitment events normally attract massive gatherings and often result in disorderly situations.
The closing date to apply for this recruitment was prolonged for a week to allow for additional candidates, as some had experienced difficulties in the application procedure.
Army spokesperson Captain Veronica Adzo Arhin stated the stampede occurred ahead of the planned commencement time of 6:20 AM Greenwich Mean Time.
The nation's leader John Mahama has gone to see the injured in medical care.
Calm has been restored, and the enlistment process has now begun.