No Fewer Than 6 Perish in Crowd Crush at Ghanaian Military Recruitment Drive
No fewer than six people have lost their lives amid a stampede at a armed forces enlistment event held in a sports arena in the West African nation.
The midweek "devastating" event appeared to have been triggered by "a sudden rush of applicants who breached security protocols and stormed the entrances," announced a statement from the nation's military.
Twenty-two others 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 hope of joining the armed forces.
The country has a rate of joblessness among young people of approximately 32%, the most recent official data indicate, and such enlistment drives normally attract massive gatherings and frequently lead to disorderly situations.
The closing date to submit applications for this recruitment was prolonged for a seven days to accommodate more applicants, as some had experienced challenges in the process.
Military representative Captain Veronica Adzo Arhin said the crush occurred ahead of the planned commencement time of 6:20 AM Greenwich Mean Time.
The nation's leader John Mahama has visited the wounded in medical care.
Order has been reestablished, and the enlistment process has now started.