At Least Six Perish in Stampede at Ghana Armed Forces Enlistment Drive
At least 6 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 entrances," announced a release from the nation's military.
22 additional individuals were hurt, among them five who are in critical condition.
Thousands had gathered at the El-Wak sports venue, in the main city, Accra, with the hope of enlisting in the armed forces.
The country has a youth unemployment rate of about 32%, the most recent official data show, and such enlistment drives normally attract massive gatherings and often result in chaotic scenes.
The closing date to apply for this recruitment was extended by a week to accommodate more applicants, as some had experienced challenges in the application procedure.
Military representative Captain Veronica Adzo Arhin stated the stampede took place ahead of the planned commencement time of 6:20 AM Greenwich Mean Time.
The nation's leader John Mahama has visited the injured in medical care.
Order has been restored, and the enlistment process has since begun.
