At Least 6 Lose Their Lives in Crowd Crush at Ghanaian Armed Forces Enlistment Event
At least six 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" incident appeared to have been caused by "a sudden rush of candidates who overcame security measures and rushed into the gates," announced a statement from Ghana's armed forces.
Twenty-two others were hurt, among them five who remain in critical condition.
Thousands had gathered at El-Wak stadium, in the capital, Accra, with the hope of enlisting in the military.
The country has a youth unemployment rate of approximately 32%, the most recent official data indicate, and such enlistment drives normally draw massive gatherings and frequently lead to chaotic scenes.
The closing date to submit applications for this event was prolonged for a seven days to allow for additional candidates, as some had faced challenges in the application procedure.
Army spokesperson Captain Veronica Adzo Arhin stated the stampede took place before the planned commencement time of 06:20 GMT.
The nation's leader John Mahama has visited the wounded in hospital.
Calm has been reestablished, and the enlistment process has since begun.
