No Fewer Than Six Lose Their Lives in Stampede at Ghanaian Military Recruitment Drive
At least six individuals have died amid a stampede at a military recruitment gathering held in a stadium in Ghana.
The Wednesday's "tragic" incident seems to have been caused by "a sudden rush of candidates who breached security protocols and stormed the entrances," announced a statement from the nation's military.
Twenty-two others were injured, including five who are 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.
Ghana has a youth unemployment rate of about 32%, the latest government statistics show, and such enlistment drives typically attract large crowds and often result in disorderly situations.
The closing date to apply for this recruitment was extended by a week to accommodate more applicants, as some had experienced challenges in the process.
Military representative Captain Veronica Adzo Arhin stated the stampede occurred before the event's scheduled start of 06:20 GMT.
Ghana's President John Mahama has visited the injured in medical care.
Calm has been reestablished, and the recruitment exercise has now started.
