At Least Six Perish in Stampede at Ghanaian Military Recruitment Drive
At least 6 people have died during a stampede at a military recruitment gathering held in a stadium in Ghana.
The midweek "devastating" incident appeared to have been triggered by "an unexpected surge of applicants who breached security protocols and rushed into the entrances," stated a release from the nation's military.
Twenty-two others were hurt, among them 5 who are in critical condition.
Thousands had gathered at El-Wak stadium, in the main city, the capital, with the hope of enlisting in the armed forces.
The country has a youth unemployment rate of approximately 32%, the latest government statistics show, and such recruitment events typically draw massive gatherings and frequently lead to disorderly situations.
The deadline to submit applications for this event was extended by a week to accommodate additional candidates, as some had faced difficulties in the application procedure.
Military representative Captain Veronica Adzo Arhin said the crush took place ahead of the planned commencement time of 06:20 GMT.
The nation's leader President John Mahama has gone to see the wounded in medical care.
Calm has been reestablished, and the recruitment exercise has since started.
