No Fewer Than Six Lose Their Lives in Crowd Crush at Ghana Armed Forces Enlistment Event
No fewer than six people have lost their lives amid a stampede at a armed forces enlistment gathering held in a stadium in the West African nation.
The midweek "devastating" event appeared to have been caused by "a sudden rush of candidates who overcame security measures and stormed the entrances," announced a release from Ghana's armed forces.
22 additional individuals were hurt, including 5 who remain in serious state.
A large crowd had turned up at the El-Wak sports venue, in the capital, Accra, with the hope of enlisting in the armed forces.
The country has a rate of joblessness among young people of about 32%, the latest official data show, and such enlistment drives typically attract large crowds and often result in chaotic scenes.
The deadline to apply for this event was extended by a seven days to allow for additional candidates, as a number had faced difficulties in the process.
Military representative Captain Veronica Adzo Arhin said the stampede took place ahead of the event's scheduled start of 06:20 GMT.
Ghana's President President John Mahama has gone to see the injured in medical care.
Calm has been restored, and the enlistment process has now begun.
