At Least 6 Perish in Stampede at Ghana Military Recruitment Drive
At least 6 individuals have died amid a stampede at a armed forces enlistment gathering held in a stadium in the West African nation.
The Wednesday's "devastating" event appeared to have been caused by "an unexpected surge of applicants who overcame security measures and rushed into the gates," announced a release from the nation's military.
Twenty-two others were hurt, including 5 who remain 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.
The country has a youth unemployment rate of about thirty-two percent, the latest government statistics indicate, and such recruitment events typically draw large crowds and frequently result in disorderly situations.
The deadline to submit applications for this event was prolonged for a week to allow for more applicants, as a number had faced challenges in the application procedure.
Army spokesperson Capt Veronica Adzo Arhin said the stampede took place before the event's scheduled start of 06:20 GMT.
Ghana's President John Mahama has visited the injured in medical care.
Order has been restored, and the enlistment process has now begun.
