No Fewer Than 6 Lose Their Lives in Stampede at Ghanaian Military Recruitment Event
At least 6 individuals have lost their lives during a crowd crush at a military recruitment gathering held in a stadium in Ghana.
The Wednesday's "tragic" event seems to have been caused by "a sudden rush of applicants who overcame security measures and rushed into the entrances," stated a release from Ghana's armed forces.
22 others were injured, including 5 who remain in critical condition.
Thousands had turned up 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 approximately 32%, the most recent government statistics indicate, and such enlistment drives typically attract large crowds and frequently result in disorderly situations.
The closing date to submit applications for this event was extended by a week to accommodate more applicants, as some had experienced challenges in the process.
Army spokesperson Capt Veronica Adzo Arhin said the stampede occurred ahead of the planned commencement time of 6:20 AM Greenwich Mean Time.
Ghana's President John Mahama has gone to see the wounded in hospital.
Order has been reestablished, and the enlistment process has since started.
