At Least 6 Lose Their Lives in Crowd Crush at Ghana Armed Forces Enlistment Drive
At least six people have died during a stampede at a armed forces enlistment gathering held in a sports arena in Ghana.
The Wednesday's "tragic" event appeared to have been triggered by "a sudden rush of applicants who breached security protocols and rushed into the entrances," announced a release from the nation's military.
Twenty-two others were hurt, including five who are in serious state.
A large crowd had gathered at El-Wak stadium, in the main city, the capital, with the hope of enlisting in the military.
The country has a youth unemployment rate of approximately thirty-two percent, the most recent government statistics show, and such recruitment events typically attract large crowds and often lead to disorderly situations.
The closing date to submit applications for this event was prolonged for a week to accommodate additional candidates, as some had experienced challenges in the application procedure.
Army spokesperson Capt Veronica Adzo Arhin stated the stampede took place before the event's scheduled start of 06:20 GMT.
The nation's leader John Mahama has gone to see the injured in hospital.
Calm has been restored, and the enlistment process has since begun.
