At Least 6 Perish in Stampede at Ghanaian Military Recruitment Event
At least 6 individuals have lost their lives during a crowd crush at a armed forces enlistment event held in a sports arena in Ghana.
The midweek "tragic" event seems to have been caused by "an unexpected surge of applicants who overcame security measures and stormed the entrances," announced a statement from the nation's military.
Twenty-two others were injured, including 5 who are in critical condition.
A large crowd had turned up at El-Wak stadium, in the main city, the capital, with the hope of enlisting in the military.
Ghana has a rate of joblessness among young people of about 32%, the latest government statistics indicate, and such recruitment events normally draw large crowds and frequently result in chaotic scenes.
The closing date to apply for this recruitment was extended by a week to allow for additional candidates, as a number had faced difficulties in the process.
Military representative Capt Veronica Adzo Arhin said the crush took place before the planned commencement time of 06:20 GMT.
Ghana's President President John Mahama has gone to see the wounded in hospital.
Calm has been reestablished, and the recruitment exercise has now begun.
