At Least Six Lose Their Lives in Crowd Crush at Ghanaian Armed Forces Enlistment Event
At least 6 people have lost their lives amid a stampede at a military recruitment event held in a stadium in the West African nation.
The Wednesday's "devastating" event appeared to have been caused by "an unexpected surge of applicants who overcame security measures and stormed the entrances," announced a release from Ghana's armed forces.
Twenty-two additional individuals were injured, including five who are in critical condition.
A large crowd had turned up at El-Wak stadium, in the main city, the capital, with the aspiration of joining the armed forces.
The country has a youth unemployment rate of about thirty-two percent, the latest government statistics indicate, and such recruitment events typically attract massive gatherings and frequently lead to disorderly situations.
The deadline to submit applications for this event was prolonged for a week to allow for additional candidates, as some had experienced difficulties in the process.
Military representative Capt Veronica Adzo Arhin said the stampede occurred before the planned commencement time of 06:20 GMT.
The nation's leader John Mahama has visited the wounded in medical care.
Order has been reestablished, and the recruitment exercise has now begun.
