At Least Six Perish in Crowd Crush at Ghana Armed Forces Enlistment Drive
At least six individuals have died during a stampede at a armed forces enlistment gathering held in a stadium in Ghana.
The Wednesday's "devastating" incident appeared to have been triggered by "a sudden rush of candidates who breached security protocols and stormed the entrances," announced a release from the nation's military.
Twenty-two others were hurt, including five who remain in serious state.
A large crowd had turned up at El-Wak stadium, in the capital, the capital, with the aspiration of enlisting in the armed forces.
The country has a rate of joblessness among young people of about 32%, the most recent government statistics show, and such recruitment events typically draw large crowds and frequently lead to disorderly situations.
The closing date to apply for this event was prolonged for a week to accommodate additional candidates, as some had experienced challenges in the process.
Military representative Capt Veronica Adzo Arhin said the stampede occurred before the planned commencement time of 6:20 AM Greenwich Mean Time.
The nation's leader John Mahama has gone to see the injured in medical care.
Calm has been reestablished, and the recruitment exercise has since started.