At Least 6 Perish in Crowd Crush at Ghana Military Recruitment Drive
No fewer than 6 individuals have lost their lives amid a crowd crush at a military recruitment event held in a sports arena in the West African nation.
The midweek "tragic" event seems to have been triggered by "a sudden rush of candidates who breached security protocols and stormed the entrances," stated a statement from the nation's military.
22 additional individuals were hurt, among them five who remain in critical condition.
Thousands had gathered at El-Wak stadium, in the main city, Accra, with the hope of enlisting in the armed forces.
Ghana has a youth unemployment rate of approximately thirty-two percent, the latest government statistics show, and such recruitment events normally draw large crowds and often lead to disorderly situations.
The deadline to submit applications for this recruitment was extended by a week to accommodate additional candidates, as some had experienced challenges in the process.
Army spokesperson Captain Veronica Adzo Arhin said the stampede took place before the planned commencement time of 6:20 AM Greenwich Mean Time.
Ghana's President President John Mahama has gone to see the injured in hospital.
Calm has been restored, and the recruitment exercise has since started.
