At Least 6 Perish in Crowd Crush at Ghanaian Military Recruitment Drive
No fewer than six people have lost their lives amid a crowd crush at a armed forces enlistment gathering held in a sports arena in the West African nation.
The Wednesday's "tragic" incident seems to have been caused by "a sudden rush of applicants who overcame security measures and rushed into the entrances," announced a release from the nation's military.
22 additional individuals were injured, among them 5 who are in serious state.
Thousands had turned up at El-Wak stadium, in the main city, Accra, with the hope of enlisting in the armed forces.
Ghana has a youth unemployment rate of approximately 32%, the latest official data indicate, and such enlistment drives normally attract massive gatherings and often result in disorderly situations.
The closing date to submit applications for this recruitment was extended by a week to accommodate more applicants, as some had faced difficulties in the process.
Military representative Captain Veronica Adzo Arhin said the stampede occurred before the planned commencement time of 06:20 GMT.
Ghana's President President John Mahama has visited the wounded in hospital.
Order has been restored, and the enlistment process has now begun.
