At Least 6 Perish in Stampede at Ghana Military Recruitment Event
At least 6 individuals have died during a crowd crush at a armed forces enlistment gathering held in a stadium in the West African nation.
The Wednesday's "devastating" incident appeared to have been triggered by "a sudden rush of candidates who breached security protocols and stormed the entrances," announced a statement from the nation's military.
22 additional individuals were hurt, including 5 who are in critical condition.
A large crowd had turned up at El-Wak stadium, in the capital, Accra, with the hope of enlisting in the military.
The country has a rate of joblessness among young people of about 32%, the latest official data indicate, and such recruitment events typically attract large crowds and frequently result in disorderly situations.
The closing date to submit applications for this recruitment was prolonged for a seven days to allow for more applicants, as some had faced challenges in the process.
Army spokesperson Captain Veronica Adzo Arhin said the crush took place ahead of the event's scheduled start of 06:20 GMT.
Ghana's President John Mahama has gone to see the injured in hospital.
Calm has been reestablished, and the recruitment exercise has since started.
