No Fewer Than Six Lose Their Lives in Stampede at Ghanaian Armed Forces Enlistment Event
No fewer than 6 people have lost their lives amid a stampede at a armed forces enlistment event held in a stadium in the West African nation.
The Wednesday's "devastating" 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 hurt, among them 5 who remain in critical condition.
A large crowd had turned up at the El-Wak sports venue, in the capital, Accra, with the aspiration of joining the armed forces.
Ghana has a youth unemployment rate of approximately 32%, the latest government statistics show, and such recruitment events normally attract massive gatherings and often result in disorderly situations.
The deadline to apply for this recruitment was extended by a week to accommodate more applicants, as some had experienced challenges in the process.
Military representative Capt Veronica Adzo Arhin said the stampede took place ahead of the event's scheduled start of 6:20 AM Greenwich Mean Time.
The nation's leader John Mahama has gone to see the wounded in hospital.
Order has been reestablished, and the recruitment exercise has now begun.