At Least 6 Perish in Stampede at Ghanaian Military Recruitment Drive
No fewer than 6 people have died during a stampede at a military recruitment gathering held in a sports arena in the West African nation.
The Wednesday's "devastating" incident seems to have been caused by "a sudden rush of applicants who overcame security measures and stormed the gates," announced a release from the nation's military.
22 others were injured, among them 5 who are in serious state.
A large crowd had turned up at El-Wak stadium, in the main city, Accra, with the aspiration of joining the military.
Ghana has a youth unemployment rate of about 32%, the most recent official data indicate, and such enlistment drives typically attract massive gatherings and frequently lead to disorderly situations.
The closing date to submit applications for this event was extended by a seven days to accommodate additional candidates, as some had faced challenges in the process.
Military representative Capt Veronica Adzo Arhin stated the crush took place ahead of the event's scheduled start of 6:20 AM Greenwich Mean Time.
Ghana's President John Mahama has gone to see the wounded in medical care.
Order has been restored, and the enlistment process has now started.
