No Fewer Than 6 Perish in Stampede at Ghana Military Recruitment Event
No fewer than six individuals have died during a stampede at a armed forces enlistment event held in a sports arena in Ghana.
The midweek "devastating" incident seems to have been triggered by "a sudden rush of candidates who breached security protocols and stormed the entrances," announced a release from Ghana's armed forces.
Twenty-two others were injured, including 5 who are in serious state.
A large crowd had turned up at the El-Wak sports venue, in the main city, Accra, with the hope of enlisting in the armed forces.
Ghana has a youth unemployment rate of approximately 32%, the most recent official data show, and such enlistment drives typically draw massive gatherings and often lead to chaotic scenes.
The closing date to apply for this event was prolonged for a week to allow for more applicants, as a number had faced challenges in the process.
Army spokesperson Captain Veronica Adzo Arhin said the stampede occurred before the event's scheduled start of 6:20 AM Greenwich Mean Time.
The nation's leader John Mahama has gone to see the injured in hospital.
Order has been reestablished, and the enlistment process has now started.
