At Least 6 Lose Their Lives in Crowd Crush at Ghanaian Military Recruitment Drive
At least 6 people have lost their lives amid a crowd crush at a armed forces enlistment event held in a sports arena in the West African nation.
The midweek "devastating" event seems to have been triggered by "an unexpected surge of applicants who overcame security measures and rushed into the entrances," stated a release from Ghana's armed forces.
22 additional individuals were hurt, including five who are in serious state.
A large crowd had gathered at the El-Wak sports venue, in the main city, the capital, with the hope of joining the armed forces.
The country has a youth unemployment rate of approximately thirty-two percent, the most recent government statistics show, and such recruitment events normally draw large crowds and often result in disorderly situations.
The closing date to apply for this recruitment was prolonged for a week to allow for more applicants, as some had faced challenges 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 President John Mahama has visited the wounded in hospital.
Order has been restored, and the recruitment exercise has since begun.
