At Least Six Perish in Stampede at Ghana Armed Forces Enlistment Drive
No fewer than six people have died amid a stampede at a military recruitment event held in a sports arena in the West African nation.
The midweek "devastating" incident appeared to have been triggered by "a sudden rush of applicants who breached security protocols and stormed the entrances," stated a release from the nation's military.
22 others were hurt, among them five who remain in serious state.
Thousands had turned up at the El-Wak sports venue, in the main city, the capital, with the hope of enlisting in the armed forces.
Ghana has a youth unemployment rate of about thirty-two percent, the most recent government statistics indicate, and such enlistment drives typically attract large crowds and often result in disorderly situations.
The closing date to apply for this recruitment was extended by a week to accommodate more applicants, as some had faced challenges 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.
Ghana's President John Mahama has visited the injured in medical care.
Calm has been restored, and the enlistment process has now started.
