At Least Six Perish in Stampede at Ghana Armed Forces Enlistment Drive
No fewer than six people have lost their lives amid a stampede 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 "an unexpected surge of applicants who breached security protocols and rushed into the entrances," stated a release from the nation's military.
Twenty-two additional individuals were injured, including 5 who are in serious state.
Thousands had gathered at the El-Wak sports venue, in the main city, Accra, 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 draw large crowds and frequently lead to disorderly situations.
The closing date to submit applications for this recruitment was prolonged for a week to accommodate more applicants, as some had faced challenges in the application procedure.
Army spokesperson Captain Veronica Adzo Arhin stated the stampede occurred before the planned commencement time of 06:20 GMT.
The nation's leader President John Mahama has visited the injured in hospital.
Order has been restored, and the recruitment exercise has since begun.
