No Fewer Than Six Perish in Stampede at Ghanaian Armed Forces Enlistment Event
No fewer than 6 people have died amid a stampede at a military recruitment gathering held in a stadium in Ghana.
The midweek "tragic" event seems to have been triggered by "an unexpected surge of applicants who overcame security measures and rushed into the entrances," announced a statement from Ghana's armed forces.
22 others were injured, among them 5 who remain in critical condition.
A large crowd had turned up at El-Wak stadium, in the capital, Accra, with the aspiration of joining the military.
The country has a rate of joblessness among young people of approximately 32%, the most recent official data indicate, and such enlistment drives normally draw massive gatherings and often lead to chaotic scenes.
The deadline to submit applications for this event was extended by a week to allow for more applicants, as some had faced difficulties in the application procedure.
Military representative Capt Veronica Adzo Arhin stated the stampede took place before the planned commencement time of 06:20 GMT.
The nation's leader President John Mahama has visited the wounded in medical care.
Order has been reestablished, and the enlistment process has now begun.
