At Least Six Lose Their Lives in Crowd Crush at Ghana Military Recruitment Event
No fewer than 6 people have lost their lives amid a crowd crush at a armed forces enlistment gathering held in a sports arena 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 gates," announced a release from the nation's military.
22 others were injured, among them 5 who are in critical condition.
Thousands had turned up at El-Wak stadium, in the main city, the capital, with the hope of enlisting in the military.
Ghana has a youth unemployment rate of about 32%, the most recent official data indicate, and such recruitment events typically draw massive gatherings and often result in disorderly situations.
The closing date to apply for this event was prolonged for a week to allow for additional candidates, as a number had experienced challenges in the application procedure.
Military representative Captain Veronica Adzo Arhin said the crush occurred ahead of the planned commencement time of 06:20 GMT.
Ghana's President President John Mahama has gone to see the injured in hospital.
Calm has been reestablished, and the recruitment exercise has since started.
