At Least 6 Lose Their Lives in Crowd Crush at Ghanaian Armed Forces Enlistment Event
No fewer than six people have lost their lives amid a crowd crush at a armed forces enlistment gathering held in a stadium in the West African nation.
The midweek "tragic" event seems to have been triggered by "a sudden rush of candidates who breached security protocols and stormed the entrances," announced a release from the nation's military.
22 additional individuals were hurt, including five who are in critical condition.
Thousands had turned up at El-Wak stadium, in the main city, the capital, with the aspiration of enlisting in the armed forces.
Ghana has a rate of joblessness among young people of about thirty-two percent, the latest government statistics indicate, and such recruitment events normally draw large crowds and often lead to chaotic scenes.
The closing date to submit applications for this recruitment was prolonged for a seven days to accommodate additional candidates, as some had faced challenges in the application procedure.
Army spokesperson Capt Veronica Adzo Arhin said the crush occurred ahead of the planned commencement time of 06:20 GMT.
The nation's leader John Mahama has gone to see the injured in medical care.
Order has been restored, and the enlistment process has since begun.
