No Fewer Than 6 Lose Their Lives in Stampede at Ghana Armed Forces Enlistment Event
No fewer than six people have died amid a stampede at a armed forces enlistment gathering held in a sports arena in the West African nation.
The midweek "devastating" incident seems to have been caused by "a sudden rush of applicants who overcame security measures and stormed the gates," announced a statement from the nation's military.
22 others were hurt, including 5 who remain in critical condition.
A large crowd had gathered at the El-Wak sports venue, in the capital, the capital, with the aspiration of enlisting in the armed forces.
The country has a rate of joblessness among young people of approximately thirty-two percent, the most recent government statistics indicate, and such enlistment drives typically draw large crowds and frequently lead to disorderly situations.
The closing date to apply for this event was extended by a week to accommodate additional candidates, as some had experienced difficulties in the application procedure.
Military representative Capt Veronica Adzo Arhin said the crush occurred before the planned commencement time of 6:20 AM Greenwich Mean Time.
Ghana's President President John Mahama has gone to see the wounded in hospital.
Calm has been reestablished, and the recruitment exercise has now begun.
