At Least 6 Perish in Crowd Crush at Ghana Armed Forces Enlistment Event
No fewer than 6 individuals have died amid a crowd crush at a military recruitment gathering held in a stadium in the West African nation.
The Wednesday's "tragic" event seems to have been caused by "a sudden rush of candidates who breached security protocols and stormed the gates," stated a release from Ghana's armed forces.
22 others were injured, among them 5 who remain in critical condition.
Thousands had gathered at the El-Wak sports venue, in the capital, Accra, with the hope of joining the military.
The country has a rate of joblessness among young people of about thirty-two percent, the most recent government statistics show, and such enlistment drives typically draw massive gatherings and frequently lead to chaotic scenes.
The closing date to apply for this recruitment was prolonged for a seven days to allow for additional candidates, as a number had experienced difficulties in the process.
Army spokesperson Captain Veronica Adzo Arhin stated the crush occurred ahead of the planned commencement time of 6:20 AM Greenwich Mean Time.
Ghana's President John Mahama has visited the wounded in hospital.
Calm has been restored, and the recruitment exercise has now begun.
