At Least Six Lose Their Lives in Crowd Crush at Ghanaian Military Recruitment Drive
No fewer than 6 people have lost their lives amid a stampede at a military recruitment event held in a sports arena in Ghana.
The Wednesday's "devastating" incident seems to have been caused by "a sudden rush of applicants who breached security protocols and rushed into the entrances," announced a release from Ghana's armed forces.
22 others were hurt, among them 5 who are in critical condition.
Thousands had turned up at the El-Wak sports venue, in the main city, the capital, with the hope of enlisting in the armed forces.
Ghana has a youth unemployment rate of approximately 32%, the latest government statistics show, and such recruitment events typically attract massive gatherings and frequently lead to disorderly situations.
The closing date to submit applications for this recruitment was prolonged for a seven days to allow for additional candidates, as some had experienced difficulties in the application procedure.
Army spokesperson Capt Veronica Adzo Arhin stated the crush occurred before the planned commencement time of 06:20 GMT.
Ghana's President President John Mahama has visited the wounded in hospital.
Order has been reestablished, and the enlistment process has since begun.