At Least 6 Perish in Stampede at Ghana Armed Forces Enlistment Event
At least six people have died during a stampede at a armed forces enlistment event held in a sports arena in the West African nation.
The midweek "devastating" incident seems to have been caused by "a sudden rush of candidates who breached security protocols and stormed the gates," stated a statement from Ghana's armed forces.
22 additional individuals were injured, including 5 who are in serious state.
Thousands had turned up at the El-Wak sports venue, in the capital, Accra, with the hope of joining the military.
The country has a youth unemployment rate of approximately thirty-two percent, the most recent official data show, and such recruitment events typically attract large crowds and often lead to chaotic scenes.
The deadline to apply for this event was prolonged for a week to allow for more applicants, as some had faced difficulties in the application procedure.
Army spokesperson Capt Veronica Adzo Arhin stated the stampede occurred before the event's scheduled start of 6:20 AM Greenwich Mean Time.
The nation's leader John Mahama has gone to see the injured in hospital.
Calm has been restored, and the enlistment process has now begun.