At Least 6 Lose Their Lives in Crowd Crush at Ghana Armed Forces Enlistment Event
No fewer than six individuals have died amid a crowd crush at a armed forces enlistment gathering held in a sports arena in Ghana.
The midweek "devastating" event seems to have been triggered by "an unexpected surge of candidates who overcame security measures and rushed into the gates," announced a statement from Ghana's armed forces.
22 additional individuals were injured, among them 5 who are in critical condition.
Thousands had turned up at the El-Wak sports venue, in the main city, Accra, with the aspiration of joining the armed forces.
The country has a rate of joblessness among young people of about 32%, the most recent official data indicate, and such recruitment events typically draw large crowds and frequently lead to disorderly situations.
The closing date to apply for this recruitment was extended by a week to allow for more applicants, as a number had experienced challenges in the application procedure.
Military representative Captain Veronica Adzo Arhin said the stampede took place before the planned commencement time of 6:20 AM Greenwich Mean Time.
The nation's leader President John Mahama has visited the injured in hospital.
Order has been restored, and the recruitment exercise has now started.
