At Least 6 Perish in Stampede at Ghanaian Military Recruitment Event
At least 6 individuals have died amid a stampede at a military recruitment gathering held in a sports arena in Ghana.
The midweek "tragic" incident appeared to have been triggered by "an unexpected surge of applicants who breached security protocols and stormed the entrances," announced a statement from the nation's military.
22 others were injured, among them five who remain in critical condition.
Thousands had turned up at the El-Wak sports venue, in the main city, Accra, with the hope of enlisting in the armed forces.
Ghana has a rate of joblessness among young people of about 32%, the most recent official data indicate, and such enlistment drives typically draw massive gatherings and frequently lead to disorderly situations.
The closing date to apply for this recruitment was extended by a week to accommodate additional candidates, as some had faced difficulties in the process.
Military representative Capt Veronica Adzo Arhin said the crush occurred ahead of the event's scheduled start of 6:20 AM Greenwich Mean Time.
The nation's leader President John Mahama has visited the injured in medical care.
Calm has been restored, and the recruitment exercise has now begun.
