At Least Six Lose Their Lives in Crowd Crush at Ghanaian Military Recruitment Event
No fewer than six people have lost their lives amid a crowd crush at a military recruitment 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 rushed into the entrances," announced a release from the nation's military.
Twenty-two additional individuals were hurt, including five who are in critical condition.
Thousands had turned up at the El-Wak sports venue, in the capital, Accra, with the hope of enlisting in the armed forces.
The country has a rate of joblessness among young people of approximately thirty-two percent, the most recent government statistics indicate, and such recruitment events typically draw massive gatherings and often result in disorderly situations.
The deadline to submit applications for this recruitment was prolonged for a seven days to allow for more applicants, as some had faced difficulties in the process.
Army spokesperson Captain Veronica Adzo Arhin said the stampede occurred ahead of the event's scheduled start of 06:20 GMT.
Ghana's President President John Mahama has gone to see the wounded in hospital.
Calm has been reestablished, and the enlistment process has since started.