At Least 6 Perish in Stampede at Ghanaian Armed Forces Enlistment Drive
At least six people have lost their lives during a stampede at a military recruitment event held in a stadium in Ghana.
The Wednesday's "devastating" incident seems to have been caused by "an unexpected surge of applicants who overcame security measures and rushed into the entrances," announced a release from Ghana's armed forces.
Twenty-two others were injured, including 5 who remain in serious state.
Thousands had gathered at the El-Wak sports venue, in the capital, the capital, with the aspiration of joining the military.
Ghana has a youth unemployment rate of approximately thirty-two percent, the latest official data indicate, and such enlistment drives normally attract massive gatherings and often result in chaotic scenes.
The deadline to submit applications for this recruitment was extended by a week to allow for more applicants, as some had experienced difficulties in the application procedure.
Army spokesperson Captain Veronica Adzo Arhin stated the stampede occurred before the planned commencement time of 06:20 GMT.
The nation's leader John Mahama has visited the injured in medical care.
Calm has been reestablished, and the enlistment process has since begun.
