At Least 6 Perish in Stampede at Ghanaian Military Recruitment Event
At least 6 individuals have died during a stampede at a armed forces enlistment gathering held in a stadium in Ghana.
The midweek "tragic" incident seems to have been triggered by "an unexpected surge of candidates who overcame security measures and stormed the gates," announced a release from the nation's military.
22 others were injured, including 5 who are in critical condition.
A large crowd had turned up at the El-Wak sports venue, in the main city, the capital, with the hope of enlisting in the military.
The country has a youth unemployment rate of about 32%, the most recent official data show, and such enlistment drives typically attract massive gatherings and frequently lead to disorderly situations.
The deadline to submit applications for this event was prolonged for a week to accommodate additional candidates, as a number had faced challenges in the application procedure.
Military representative Capt Veronica Adzo Arhin said the stampede occurred before the event's scheduled start of 06:20 GMT.
The nation's leader John Mahama has visited the injured in medical care.
Order has been restored, and the recruitment exercise has now started.
