No Fewer Than 6 Perish in Crowd Crush at Ghana Military Recruitment Event
At least 6 individuals have lost their lives during a crowd crush at a armed forces enlistment gathering held in a sports arena in Ghana.
The midweek "devastating" event appeared to have been triggered by "an unexpected surge of candidates who overcame security measures and rushed into the entrances," announced a release from Ghana's armed forces.
22 others were hurt, among them five who remain in critical condition.
A large crowd had turned up at the El-Wak sports venue, in the capital, the capital, with the aspiration of joining the military.
The country has a rate of joblessness among young people of approximately 32%, the most recent government statistics show, and such enlistment drives typically draw massive gatherings and often lead to disorderly situations.
The closing date to submit applications for this event was extended by a week to accommodate more applicants, as some had faced difficulties in the process.
Army spokesperson Captain Veronica Adzo Arhin stated the stampede occurred ahead of the planned commencement time of 6:20 AM Greenwich Mean Time.
The nation's leader President John Mahama has visited the injured in hospital.
Order has been reestablished, and the enlistment process has since started.
