No Fewer Than 6 Lose Their Lives in Stampede at Ghana Military Recruitment Drive
No fewer than 6 people have died during a stampede at a military recruitment event held in a stadium in Ghana.
The Wednesday's "tragic" event seems to have been triggered by "a sudden rush of candidates who breached security protocols and stormed the gates," announced a release from the nation's military.
22 others were injured, among them 5 who are in critical condition.
Thousands had turned up at El-Wak stadium, in the capital, Accra, with the hope of enlisting in the military.
Ghana has a rate of joblessness among young people of approximately thirty-two percent, the most recent official data show, and such enlistment drives typically attract large crowds and often result in chaotic scenes.
The closing date to apply for this recruitment was extended by a week to accommodate additional candidates, as some had faced challenges in the process.
Military representative Captain Veronica Adzo Arhin stated the stampede occurred ahead of the event's scheduled start of 6:20 AM Greenwich Mean Time.
Ghana's President John Mahama has gone to see the wounded in hospital.
Calm has been reestablished, and the enlistment process has now started.
