No Fewer Than Six Lose Their Lives in Crowd Crush at Ghana Military Recruitment Drive
At least six people have died amid a crowd crush at a military recruitment gathering held in a sports arena in Ghana.
The Wednesday's "devastating" event appeared to have been triggered by "a sudden rush of candidates who breached security protocols and stormed the gates," announced a statement from the nation's military.
22 additional individuals were injured, including 5 who remain in serious state.
Thousands had turned up at the El-Wak sports venue, in the capital, the capital, with the aspiration of enlisting in the armed forces.
The country has a youth unemployment rate of approximately 32%, the latest official data show, and such recruitment events normally draw large crowds and often result in chaotic scenes.
The closing date to submit applications for this event was extended by a week to allow for additional candidates, as some had experienced challenges in the process.
Army spokesperson Capt Veronica Adzo Arhin said the crush occurred before the planned commencement time of 6:20 AM Greenwich Mean Time.
Ghana's President President John Mahama has visited the injured in medical care.
Order has been restored, and the recruitment exercise has since begun.
