No Fewer Than 6 Perish in Stampede at Ghanaian Military Recruitment Drive
No fewer than 6 individuals have lost their lives during a stampede at a military recruitment event held in a sports arena in Ghana.
The midweek "tragic" incident seems to have been caused by "an unexpected surge of candidates who breached security protocols and stormed the entrances," announced a statement from Ghana's armed forces.
22 additional individuals were injured, including five who remain in critical condition.
A large crowd had turned up at the El-Wak sports venue, in the main city, the capital, with the hope of joining the armed forces.
The country has a rate of joblessness among young people of approximately 32%, the latest government statistics show, and such recruitment events typically draw massive gatherings and frequently lead to chaotic scenes.
The closing date to submit applications for this event was extended by a seven days to accommodate more applicants, as some had faced challenges in the process.
Army spokesperson Captain Veronica Adzo Arhin stated the crush took place before the event's scheduled start of 06:20 GMT.
Ghana's President John Mahama has visited the injured in hospital.
Calm has been restored, and the enlistment process has now begun.