At Least 6 Perish in Crowd Crush at Ghana Armed Forces Enlistment Event
At least six individuals have died amid a stampede at a military recruitment gathering held in a stadium in Ghana.
The Wednesday's "tragic" event seems to have been triggered by "a sudden rush of candidates who overcame security measures and stormed the entrances," announced a release from the nation's military.
22 additional individuals were hurt, including five who remain in critical condition.
Thousands had turned up at El-Wak stadium, in the capital, the capital, with the hope of enlisting in the military.
The country has a youth unemployment rate of about thirty-two percent, the latest government statistics show, and such enlistment drives typically attract massive gatherings and frequently lead to disorderly situations.
The deadline to submit applications for this recruitment was prolonged for a week to accommodate additional candidates, as some had faced difficulties in the application procedure.
Army spokesperson Captain Veronica Adzo Arhin stated the crush took place before the event's scheduled start of 06:20 GMT.
Ghana's President President John Mahama has gone to see the injured in hospital.
Order has been restored, and the enlistment process has since started.
