At Least Six Lose Their Lives in Crowd Crush at Ghana Armed Forces Enlistment Event

Event location
Thousands Assembled at the Location in the Capital

No fewer than 6 individuals have died during a stampede at a military recruitment gathering held in a sports arena in Ghana.

The Wednesday's "tragic" event seems to have been triggered by "a sudden rush of candidates who overcame security measures and rushed into the gates," stated a statement from the nation's military.

22 others were hurt, including five who are 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 military.

The country has a youth unemployment rate of approximately 32%, the latest official data show, and such recruitment events typically draw large crowds and often lead to disorderly situations.

The deadline to apply for this event was prolonged for a week to allow for additional candidates, as a number had faced challenges in the application procedure.

Army spokesperson Captain Veronica Adzo Arhin said the crush took place before the planned commencement time of 06:20 GMT.

The nation's leader John Mahama has visited the wounded in hospital.

Calm has been restored, and the enlistment process has now begun.

Anna Gray
Anna Gray

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