No Fewer Than 6 Lose Their Lives in Crowd Crush at Ghana Military Recruitment Drive
No fewer than six individuals have lost their lives amid a crowd crush at a armed forces enlistment event held in a stadium in Ghana.
The midweek "devastating" incident appeared to have been caused by "an unexpected surge of candidates who overcame security measures and stormed the entrances," announced a release from the nation's military.
Twenty-two others were injured, among them five who remain in critical condition.
A large crowd had gathered at El-Wak stadium, in the main city, Accra, with the hope of joining the military.
Ghana has a youth unemployment rate of approximately 32%, the latest official data indicate, and such recruitment events typically attract massive gatherings and often lead to chaotic scenes.
The deadline to submit applications for this recruitment was prolonged for a seven days to allow for additional candidates, as a number had faced challenges in the process.
Army spokesperson Captain Veronica Adzo Arhin said the crush took place ahead of the planned commencement time of 06:20 GMT.
The nation's leader President John Mahama has visited the injured in hospital.
Calm has been reestablished, and the enlistment process has since started.
