At Least 6 Lose Their Lives in Stampede at Ghanaian Armed Forces Enlistment Event
No fewer than 6 individuals have lost their lives amid a stampede at a armed forces enlistment gathering held in a sports arena in Ghana.
The midweek "tragic" incident seems to have been caused by "a sudden rush of candidates who breached security protocols and rushed into the gates," announced a statement from the nation's military.
Twenty-two others were injured, among them five who are in serious state.
A large crowd had gathered at El-Wak stadium, in the capital, Accra, with the aspiration of enlisting in the military.
Ghana has a rate of joblessness among young people of about 32%, the most recent government statistics show, and such enlistment drives normally draw massive gatherings and often lead to chaotic scenes.
The closing date to apply for this event was extended by a seven days to accommodate more applicants, as a number had faced challenges in the application procedure.
Army spokesperson Captain Veronica Adzo Arhin stated the crush took place before the planned commencement time of 06:20 GMT.
The nation's leader President John Mahama has gone to see the injured in hospital.
Calm has been restored, and the enlistment process has since begun.
