At Least Six Lose Their Lives in Stampede at Ghana Military Recruitment Event
At least six individuals have died during a stampede at a armed forces enlistment event held in a sports arena in Ghana.
The Wednesday's "tragic" event appeared to have been triggered by "a sudden rush of candidates who breached security protocols and rushed into the entrances," announced a statement from Ghana's armed forces.
Twenty-two others were injured, including five who are in serious state.
A large crowd had turned up at El-Wak stadium, in the capital, Accra, with the hope of enlisting in the military.
Ghana has a youth unemployment rate of about 32%, the most recent government statistics indicate, and such enlistment drives typically draw large crowds and often result in disorderly situations.
The deadline to submit applications for this event was extended by a seven days to allow for more applicants, as a number had experienced challenges in the application procedure.
Army spokesperson Capt Veronica Adzo Arhin said the crush took place ahead of the event's scheduled start of 6:20 AM Greenwich Mean Time.
The nation's leader President John Mahama has gone to see the injured in medical care.
Order has been restored, and the recruitment exercise has since started.
