At Least Six Perish in Crowd Crush at Ghana Armed Forces Enlistment Event
No fewer than 6 people have lost their lives amid a crowd crush at a armed forces enlistment gathering held in a stadium in the West African nation.
The Wednesday's "tragic" event seems to have been caused by "an unexpected surge of candidates who overcame security measures and stormed the entrances," stated a statement from Ghana's armed forces.
22 others were hurt, among them 5 who are in serious state.
A large crowd had gathered at El-Wak stadium, in the capital, Accra, with the hope of enlisting in the armed forces.
The country has a youth unemployment rate of approximately thirty-two percent, the most recent government statistics indicate, and such recruitment events normally attract massive gatherings and often lead to chaotic scenes.
The deadline to apply for this recruitment was extended by a week to allow for additional candidates, as some had faced 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.
The nation's leader President John Mahama has gone to see the wounded in medical care.
Calm has been reestablished, and the enlistment process has now begun.
