At Least Six Perish in Stampede at Ghana Armed Forces Enlistment Event
At least 6 individuals have lost their lives amid a crowd crush at a military recruitment event held in a stadium in the West African nation.
The Wednesday's "devastating" event seems to have been caused by "an unexpected surge of candidates who breached security protocols and stormed the gates," announced a statement from the nation's military.
22 others were hurt, including five who are in serious state.
Thousands had turned up at the El-Wak sports venue, in the main city, the capital, with the hope of enlisting in the military.
Ghana has a youth unemployment rate of about 32%, the latest official data show, and such recruitment events typically attract large crowds and often result in chaotic scenes.
The closing date to submit applications for this recruitment was prolonged for a seven days to allow for additional candidates, as a number had faced challenges in the process.
Military representative Capt Veronica Adzo Arhin stated the crush occurred ahead of the planned commencement time of 06:20 GMT.
Ghana's President John Mahama has gone to see the injured in hospital.
Calm has been restored, and the enlistment process has now begun.
