No Fewer Than 6 Lose Their Lives in Stampede at Ghana Armed Forces Enlistment Drive
At least 6 individuals have died during a crowd crush at a armed forces enlistment event held in a sports arena in the West African nation.
The Wednesday's "tragic" event seems to have been triggered by "an unexpected surge of applicants who breached security protocols and stormed the entrances," announced a release from Ghana's armed forces.
22 others were hurt, including 5 who are in serious state.
A large crowd had turned up at the El-Wak sports venue, in the capital, the capital, with the hope of enlisting in the armed forces.
Ghana has a youth unemployment rate of approximately thirty-two percent, the latest government statistics indicate, and such enlistment drives normally draw large crowds and frequently lead to chaotic scenes.
The closing date to submit applications for this event was extended by a week to allow for additional candidates, as some had faced challenges in the application procedure.
Army spokesperson Capt Veronica Adzo Arhin said the crush occurred before the planned commencement time of 6:20 AM Greenwich Mean Time.
Ghana's President John Mahama has gone to see the injured in hospital.
Calm has been restored, and the recruitment exercise has now started.
