At Least 6 Lose Their Lives in Stampede at Ghanaian Armed Forces Enlistment Drive
At least 6 people have died during a crowd crush at a military recruitment event held in a sports arena in the West African nation.
The midweek "tragic" incident seems to have been caused by "an unexpected surge of applicants who overcame security measures and stormed the entrances," announced a statement from the nation's military.
Twenty-two others were injured, including five who remain in serious state.
A large crowd had gathered at the El-Wak sports venue, in the capital, Accra, with the aspiration of joining the military.
Ghana has a youth unemployment rate of approximately 32%, the latest official data show, and such enlistment drives typically attract large crowds and often result in chaotic scenes.
The closing date to submit applications for this event was prolonged for a week to allow for more applicants, as a number had faced challenges in the process.
Army spokesperson Capt Veronica Adzo Arhin said the stampede occurred ahead of the event's scheduled start of 06:20 GMT.
Ghana's President John Mahama has visited the wounded in hospital.
Calm has been reestablished, and the recruitment exercise has since started.
