No Fewer Than 6 Perish in Stampede at Ghanaian Armed Forces Enlistment Event
No fewer than six people have lost their lives during a crowd crush at a military recruitment event held in a stadium in the West African nation.
The Wednesday's "tragic" incident appeared to have been caused by "an unexpected surge of candidates who breached security protocols and stormed the entrances," announced a release from the nation's military.
22 others were hurt, including five who are in critical condition.
A large crowd had gathered at the El-Wak sports venue, in the main city, Accra, with the hope of joining the armed forces.
Ghana has a rate of joblessness among young people of approximately thirty-two percent, the most recent government statistics indicate, and such recruitment events typically draw large crowds and frequently result in chaotic scenes.
The closing date to submit applications for this event was prolonged for a week to accommodate additional candidates, as a number had faced challenges in the process.
Military representative Captain Veronica Adzo Arhin said the stampede took place before the event's scheduled start of 06:20 GMT.
Ghana's President President John Mahama has gone to see the wounded in medical care.
Order has been restored, and the recruitment exercise has now begun.
