No Fewer Than Six Perish in Crowd Crush at Ghanaian Armed Forces Enlistment Drive
No fewer than six people have lost their lives during a crowd crush at a armed forces enlistment event held in a stadium in the West African nation.
The midweek "tragic" event seems to have been triggered by "an unexpected surge of candidates who breached security protocols and rushed into the gates," announced a statement from Ghana's armed forces.
22 others were hurt, including five who remain in critical condition.
A large crowd had gathered at El-Wak stadium, in the capital, the capital, with the aspiration of joining the armed forces.
Ghana has a rate of joblessness among young people of approximately thirty-two percent, the latest official data show, and such recruitment events typically attract large crowds and frequently result in chaotic scenes.
The deadline to apply for this event was extended by a seven days to accommodate more applicants, as a number had faced challenges in the application procedure.
Military representative Captain Veronica Adzo Arhin stated the crush took place ahead of the event's scheduled start of 6:20 AM Greenwich Mean Time.
Ghana's President President John Mahama has gone to see the injured in hospital.
Order has been restored, and the enlistment process has since begun.
