At Least 6 Perish in Stampede at Ghana Military Recruitment Drive
At least six individuals have lost their lives amid a stampede at a armed forces enlistment gathering held in a stadium in the West African nation.
The Wednesday's "tragic" incident seems to have been caused by "an unexpected surge of candidates who breached security protocols and stormed the gates," announced a release from the nation's military.
22 others were injured, among them 5 who are in serious state.
A large crowd had gathered at El-Wak stadium, in the capital, Accra, with the aspiration of enlisting in 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 enlistment drives normally draw large crowds and often result in chaotic scenes.
The closing date to apply for this recruitment was prolonged for a week to allow for additional candidates, as a number had experienced challenges in the process.
Army spokesperson Capt Veronica Adzo Arhin stated the crush occurred before the event's scheduled start of 06:20 GMT.
The nation's leader John Mahama has gone to see the injured in hospital.
Order has been restored, and the recruitment exercise has since started.
