At Least 6 Lose Their Lives in Stampede at Ghanaian Military Recruitment Drive

At least six people have died during a crowd crush at a armed forces enlistment gathering held in a sports arena in the West African nation.

The Wednesday's "devastating" event seems to have been triggered by "a sudden rush of applicants who breached security protocols and rushed into the entrances," stated a statement from Ghana's armed forces.

Twenty-two additional individuals were injured, including five who are in serious state.

Thousands had turned up at the El-Wak sports venue, in the main city, the capital, with the aspiration of enlisting in the armed forces.

The country has a youth unemployment rate of approximately thirty-two percent, the latest official data indicate, and such recruitment events normally attract massive gatherings and frequently result in disorderly situations.

The deadline to submit applications for this recruitment was prolonged for a week to allow for additional candidates, as some had experienced challenges in the application procedure.

Military representative Capt Veronica Adzo Arhin stated the stampede occurred before the planned commencement time of 06:20 GMT.

Ghana's President John Mahama has visited the wounded in medical care.

Calm has been reestablished, and the recruitment exercise has since begun.