No Fewer Than Six Lose Their Lives in Crowd Crush at Ghana Armed Forces Enlistment Event
No fewer than 6 people have died during a crowd crush at a military recruitment event held in a stadium in Ghana.
The midweek "tragic" incident seems to have been triggered by "a sudden rush of applicants who overcame security measures and rushed into the entrances," announced a statement from the nation's military.
22 additional individuals were injured, among them five who remain in serious state.
A large crowd had gathered at El-Wak stadium, in the capital, Accra, with the hope of enlisting in the armed forces.
Ghana has a youth unemployment rate of about thirty-two percent, the most recent government statistics indicate, and such recruitment events normally attract large crowds and often lead to chaotic scenes.
The deadline to apply for this recruitment was prolonged for a seven days to accommodate additional candidates, as some had faced challenges in the process.
Army spokesperson Capt Veronica Adzo Arhin said the crush took place before the planned commencement time of 06:20 GMT.
The nation's leader John Mahama has gone to see the wounded in medical care.
Calm has been reestablished, and the enlistment process has now started.
