At Least Six Lose Their Lives in Crowd Crush at Ghana Armed Forces Enlistment Event
At least 6 individuals have died during a crowd crush at a military recruitment gathering held in a sports arena in the West African nation.
The midweek "devastating" event appeared to have been caused by "an unexpected surge of candidates who breached security protocols and stormed the entrances," announced a release from Ghana's armed forces.
Twenty-two others were injured, including 5 who remain in critical condition.
Thousands had turned up at El-Wak stadium, in the capital, Accra, with the hope of enlisting in the armed forces.
The country has a rate of joblessness among young people of about thirty-two percent, the latest official data show, and such enlistment drives typically draw large crowds and often result in disorderly situations.
The closing date to apply for this recruitment was prolonged for a week to allow for additional candidates, as some had faced challenges in the process.
Military representative Captain Veronica Adzo Arhin said the crush occurred ahead of the planned commencement time of 06:20 GMT.
The nation's leader President John Mahama has gone to see the wounded in medical care.
Order has been restored, and the recruitment exercise has since begun.
