At Least 6 Lose Their Lives in Stampede at Ghana Armed Forces Enlistment Drive
No fewer than 6 people have lost their lives during a stampede at a armed forces enlistment gathering held in a sports arena in Ghana.
The Wednesday's "tragic" event appeared to have been triggered by "an unexpected surge of candidates who breached security protocols and stormed the entrances," announced a release from Ghana's armed forces.
Twenty-two additional individuals were injured, including 5 who remain in serious state.
A large crowd had gathered at the El-Wak sports venue, in the capital, Accra, with the hope of enlisting in the armed forces.
Ghana has a rate of joblessness among young people of about 32%, the most recent official data show, and such recruitment events normally draw massive gatherings and frequently result in disorderly situations.
The deadline to submit applications for this recruitment was extended by a week to allow for additional candidates, as a number had experienced difficulties in the process.
Military representative Captain Veronica Adzo Arhin stated the stampede took place ahead of the planned commencement time of 6:20 AM Greenwich Mean Time.
The nation's leader John Mahama has gone to see the wounded in hospital.
Order has been reestablished, and the recruitment exercise has since begun.
