No Fewer Than Six Lose Their Lives in Crowd Crush at Ghanaian Armed Forces Enlistment Drive
No fewer than six people have lost their lives amid a crowd crush at a military recruitment event held in a sports arena in Ghana.
The Wednesday's "devastating" incident seems to have been triggered by "a sudden rush of candidates who overcame security measures and rushed into the gates," stated a statement from Ghana's armed forces.
22 others were hurt, including five who remain in serious state.
A large crowd had gathered at the El-Wak sports venue, in the capital, Accra, with the hope of enlisting in the armed forces.
Ghana has a youth unemployment rate of approximately 32%, the latest government statistics indicate, and such enlistment drives typically draw large crowds and often lead to disorderly situations.
The closing date to apply for this event was extended by a week to accommodate additional candidates, as a number had experienced difficulties in the process.
Military representative Capt Veronica Adzo Arhin said the crush took place ahead of the planned commencement time of 6:20 AM Greenwich Mean Time.
The nation's leader John Mahama has visited the wounded in hospital.
Order has been restored, and the enlistment process has since started.
