No Fewer Than Six Lose Their Lives in Stampede at Ghana Military Recruitment Drive
At least 6 people have died amid a stampede at a armed forces enlistment gathering held in a sports arena in Ghana.
The Wednesday's "tragic" incident seems to have been caused by "an unexpected surge of applicants who breached security protocols and rushed into the entrances," announced a statement from the nation's military.
22 additional individuals were injured, including five who remain in critical condition.
Thousands had turned up at El-Wak stadium, in the main city, the capital, with the aspiration of enlisting in the military.
The country has a youth unemployment rate of approximately 32%, the most recent official data indicate, and such recruitment events normally draw large crowds and frequently lead to disorderly situations.
The closing date to submit applications for this event was prolonged for a week to allow for additional candidates, as some had faced difficulties in the process.
Military representative Captain Veronica Adzo Arhin stated the stampede occurred ahead of the event's scheduled start of 6:20 AM Greenwich Mean Time.
The nation's leader John Mahama has visited the wounded in medical care.
Order has been restored, and the recruitment exercise has now begun.