At Least 6 Lose Their Lives in Stampede at Ghanaian Military Recruitment Drive
At least 6 people have lost their lives amid a stampede at a military recruitment gathering held in a stadium in Ghana.
The Wednesday's "tragic" event appeared to have been triggered by "an unexpected surge of applicants who breached security protocols and rushed into the entrances," stated a statement from the nation's military.
Twenty-two additional individuals were injured, including five who are in serious state.
Thousands had turned up at El-Wak stadium, in the capital, Accra, with the hope of enlisting in the armed forces.
Ghana has a youth unemployment rate of approximately thirty-two percent, the latest official data indicate, and such enlistment drives typically attract large crowds and frequently result in chaotic scenes.
The deadline to apply for this recruitment was extended by a week to accommodate additional candidates, as a number had experienced difficulties in the process.
Military representative Capt Veronica Adzo Arhin stated the stampede occurred before the event's scheduled start of 06:20 GMT.
Ghana's President John Mahama has visited the wounded in medical care.
Calm has been restored, and the recruitment exercise has since started.
