No Fewer Than 6 Perish in Stampede at Ghana Armed Forces Enlistment Event
At least 6 individuals have lost their lives amid a stampede at a military recruitment gathering held in a sports arena in the West African nation.
The Wednesday's "tragic" incident seems to have been caused by "an unexpected surge of candidates who breached security protocols and stormed the gates," stated a release from the nation's military.
22 additional individuals were injured, including five who remain in critical condition.
Thousands had turned up at El-Wak stadium, in the main city, the capital, with the aspiration of enlisting in the military.
The country has a rate of joblessness among young people of about 32%, the most recent official data indicate, and such enlistment drives typically draw massive gatherings and frequently lead to chaotic scenes.
The deadline to submit applications for this recruitment was extended by a seven days to accommodate additional candidates, as some had faced challenges in the application procedure.
Army spokesperson Capt Veronica Adzo Arhin said the stampede took place before the planned commencement time of 06:20 GMT.
The nation's leader President John Mahama has gone to see the injured in medical care.
Order has been reestablished, and the enlistment process has since started.