At Least 6 Lose Their Lives in Stampede at Ghana Armed Forces Enlistment Drive
No fewer than 6 people have lost their lives during a stampede at a military recruitment gathering held in a stadium in the West African nation.
The Wednesday's "tragic" incident seems to have been triggered by "an unexpected surge of applicants who breached security protocols and stormed the entrances," stated a statement from the nation's military.
Twenty-two additional individuals were injured, among them five who remain in serious state.
Thousands had turned up at El-Wak stadium, in the capital, Accra, with the aspiration of enlisting in the armed forces.
The country has a youth unemployment rate of approximately 32%, the most recent government statistics indicate, and such enlistment drives typically attract large crowds and often lead to chaotic scenes.
The deadline to apply for this recruitment was extended by a week to allow for additional candidates, as a number had faced challenges in the process.
Military representative Captain Veronica Adzo Arhin stated the stampede took place before the event's scheduled start of 06:20 GMT.
Ghana's President President John Mahama has gone to see the wounded in hospital.
Order has been reestablished, and the enlistment process has since begun.
