No Fewer Than Six Perish in Crowd Crush at Ghana Armed Forces Enlistment Drive
At least 6 people have lost their lives during a crowd crush at a military recruitment event held in a stadium in the West African nation.
The midweek "tragic" event seems to have been triggered by "a sudden rush of candidates who breached security protocols and rushed into the entrances," stated a release from Ghana's armed forces.
Twenty-two others were hurt, including five who remain in critical condition.
Thousands had turned up at the El-Wak sports venue, in the main city, Accra, with the aspiration of joining the military.
Ghana has a rate of joblessness among young people of about 32%, the latest government statistics show, and such enlistment drives normally draw large crowds and often lead to chaotic scenes.
The closing date to apply for this recruitment was prolonged for a seven days to allow for more applicants, as some had experienced challenges in the process.
Military representative Capt Veronica Adzo Arhin said the crush took place ahead of the event's scheduled start of 6:20 AM Greenwich Mean Time.
The nation's leader President John Mahama has gone to see the wounded in medical care.
Order has been reestablished, and the enlistment process has now begun.
