At Least Six Perish in Stampede at Ghanaian Armed Forces Enlistment Event
At least 6 people have died during a crowd crush at a military recruitment event held in a sports arena in Ghana.
The midweek "devastating" event seems to have been caused by "a sudden rush of candidates who breached security protocols and stormed the gates," stated a statement from the nation's military.
22 additional individuals were hurt, among them five who remain in critical condition.
A large crowd had gathered at the El-Wak sports venue, in the main city, Accra, with the aspiration of joining the military.
Ghana has a rate of joblessness among young people of about 32%, the latest government statistics show, and such recruitment events normally attract large crowds and frequently lead to disorderly situations.
The closing date to apply for this event was extended by a week to allow for more applicants, as a number had experienced challenges in the process.
Military representative Capt Veronica Adzo Arhin said the crush occurred before the planned commencement time of 06:20 GMT.
Ghana's President President John Mahama has visited the wounded in hospital.
Calm has been reestablished, and the recruitment exercise has since begun.
