At Least 6 Perish in Stampede at Ghana Military Recruitment Event
At least six people have lost their lives amid a crowd crush at a armed forces enlistment gathering held in a stadium in the West African nation.
The Wednesday's "tragic" incident appeared to have been caused by "a sudden rush of candidates who breached security protocols and rushed into the entrances," announced a release from the nation's military.
Twenty-two others were injured, among them five who remain in serious state.
Thousands had gathered at the El-Wak sports venue, in the main city, the capital, with the hope of joining the military.
The country has a youth unemployment rate of about thirty-two percent, the latest government statistics show, and such enlistment drives normally draw large crowds and frequently result in disorderly situations.
The deadline to apply for this recruitment was extended by a week to allow for more applicants, as a number had experienced difficulties in the application procedure.
Army spokesperson Captain Veronica Adzo Arhin said the stampede occurred before the event's scheduled start of 06:20 GMT.
The nation's leader John Mahama has visited the injured in hospital.
Order has been reestablished, and the enlistment process has since started.
