No Fewer Than Six Perish in Crowd Crush at Ghanaian Armed Forces Enlistment Drive
At least six individuals have died during a crowd crush at a military recruitment gathering held in a sports arena in the West African nation.
The midweek "tragic" event seems to have been triggered by "a sudden rush of applicants who overcame security measures and stormed the gates," announced a statement from Ghana's armed forces.
22 additional individuals were hurt, among them 5 who are in serious state.
Thousands had gathered at El-Wak stadium, in the capital, the capital, with the hope of enlisting in the military.
Ghana has a youth unemployment rate of approximately thirty-two percent, the most recent government statistics indicate, and such recruitment events normally attract large crowds and frequently result in disorderly situations.
The closing date to submit applications for this event was extended by a seven days to allow for more applicants, as a number had experienced challenges in the process.
Army spokesperson Captain Veronica Adzo Arhin said the crush took place ahead of the planned commencement time of 6:20 AM Greenwich Mean Time.
Ghana's President President John Mahama has visited the wounded in medical care.
Calm has been restored, and the enlistment process has since started.
