No Fewer Than Six Perish in Crowd Crush at Ghana Military Recruitment Drive
At least six people have died during a crowd crush at a military recruitment gathering held in a sports arena in the West African nation.
The Wednesday's "tragic" event seems to have been caused by "an unexpected surge of candidates who breached security protocols and stormed the entrances," stated a release from Ghana's armed forces.
Twenty-two others were injured, including 5 who remain in serious state.
Thousands had gathered at El-Wak stadium, in the capital, the capital, with the aspiration of joining the armed forces.
The country has a youth unemployment rate of about thirty-two percent, the latest government statistics indicate, and such recruitment events typically attract massive gatherings and often result in chaotic scenes.
The closing date to submit applications for this recruitment was prolonged for a week to accommodate additional candidates, as some had experienced challenges in the process.
Military representative Captain Veronica Adzo Arhin stated the crush took place before the event's scheduled start of 6:20 AM Greenwich Mean Time.
Ghana's President President John Mahama has visited the injured in hospital.
Order has been restored, and the recruitment exercise has now started.
