No Fewer Than Six Perish in Crowd Crush at Ghana Armed Forces Enlistment Event
At least six people have lost their lives during a crowd crush at a military recruitment gathering held in a stadium in the West African nation.
The midweek "tragic" incident appeared to have been caused by "a sudden rush of applicants who breached security protocols and stormed the entrances," announced a release from the nation's military.
Twenty-two additional individuals were hurt, among them five who are in critical condition.
Thousands had gathered at El-Wak stadium, in the main city, Accra, with the hope of joining the military.
The country has a rate of joblessness among young people of approximately 32%, the most recent official data indicate, and such enlistment drives typically attract massive gatherings and frequently result in disorderly situations.
The closing date to submit applications for this recruitment was prolonged for a seven days to allow for additional candidates, as a number had faced challenges in the process.
Military representative Capt Veronica Adzo Arhin said the crush occurred ahead of the planned commencement time of 06:20 GMT.
Ghana's President President John Mahama has visited the wounded in medical care.
Calm has been restored, and the recruitment exercise has now begun.
