At Least Six Perish in Crowd Crush at Ghana Armed Forces Enlistment Drive
At least 6 individuals have died amid a stampede at a military recruitment event held in a stadium in the West African nation.
The Wednesday's "tragic" event seems to have been caused by "a sudden rush of candidates who overcame security measures and stormed the gates," stated a statement from Ghana's armed forces.
22 others were injured, among them 5 who remain in critical condition.
A large crowd had gathered at the El-Wak sports venue, in the capital, Accra, with the hope of joining the military.
The country has a youth unemployment rate of approximately 32%, the most recent government statistics indicate, and such enlistment drives normally attract massive gatherings and frequently lead to chaotic scenes.
The deadline to submit applications for this recruitment was extended by a week to accommodate additional candidates, as a number had experienced difficulties in the application procedure.
Military representative Captain Veronica Adzo Arhin stated the stampede occurred ahead of the planned commencement time of 06:20 GMT.
Ghana's President John Mahama has visited the wounded in hospital.
Calm has been reestablished, and the recruitment exercise has now begun.