No Fewer Than Six Perish in Stampede at Ghana Military Recruitment Drive
No fewer than six people have died amid a stampede at a military recruitment event held in a sports arena in Ghana.
The Wednesday's "devastating" incident appeared to have been caused by "a sudden rush of applicants who overcame security measures and rushed into the entrances," announced a statement from the nation's military.
22 others were hurt, including 5 who are in critical condition.
Thousands had turned up at El-Wak stadium, in the main city, Accra, with the aspiration of joining the armed forces.
Ghana has a rate of joblessness among young people of about thirty-two percent, 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 more applicants, as a number had experienced difficulties in the application procedure.
Military representative Capt Veronica Adzo Arhin said the stampede took place before the event's scheduled start of 6:20 AM Greenwich Mean Time.
Ghana's President President John Mahama has visited the wounded in medical care.
Calm has been reestablished, and the enlistment process has now begun.
