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

At least 6 people have lost their lives during a crowd crush at a armed forces enlistment gathering held in a sports arena in Ghana.

The Wednesday's "devastating" incident appeared to have been caused by "a sudden rush of candidates who overcame security measures and stormed the entrances," stated a release from Ghana's armed forces.

Twenty-two others were injured, including 5 who remain in serious state.

Thousands had turned up at El-Wak stadium, in the capital, 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 government statistics indicate, and such recruitment events normally draw large crowds and often result in disorderly situations.

The deadline to submit applications for this recruitment was extended by a week to allow for additional candidates, as some had faced difficulties in the process.

Military representative Capt Veronica Adzo Arhin stated the stampede took place before the event's scheduled start of 6:20 AM Greenwich Mean Time.

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

Calm has been reestablished, and the enlistment process has since begun.