At Least Six Perish in Crowd Crush at Ghanaian Armed Forces Enlistment Event
No fewer than 6 individuals have lost their lives amid a crowd crush at a armed forces enlistment event held in a sports arena in the West African nation.
The midweek "tragic" event seems to have been caused by "an unexpected surge of candidates who overcame security measures and rushed into the entrances," announced a release from Ghana's armed forces.
22 additional individuals were injured, including five who are in serious state.
A large crowd had gathered at the El-Wak sports venue, in the capital, Accra, with the aspiration of enlisting in the military.
Ghana has a rate of joblessness among young people of about 32%, the latest government statistics show, and such recruitment events normally attract large crowds and frequently lead to disorderly situations.
The closing date to submit applications for this event was prolonged for a seven days to accommodate more applicants, as a number had faced challenges in the process.
Army spokesperson Capt Veronica Adzo Arhin said the stampede occurred before the event's scheduled start of 06:20 GMT.
The nation's leader President John Mahama has visited the wounded in hospital.
Calm has been reestablished, and the recruitment exercise has since begun.