No Fewer Than 6 Perish in Stampede at Ghana Armed Forces Enlistment Drive

No fewer than 6 people have lost their lives amid a stampede at a armed forces enlistment event held in a stadium in Ghana.

The midweek "devastating" incident seems to have been triggered by "an unexpected surge of candidates who breached security protocols and stormed the gates," stated a statement from Ghana's armed forces.

22 additional individuals were injured, among them 5 who are in serious state.

Thousands had turned up at El-Wak stadium, in the capital, Accra, with the hope of joining the military.

The country has a youth unemployment rate of approximately 32%, the latest official data indicate, and such recruitment events typically attract large crowds and often lead to chaotic scenes.

The deadline to submit applications for this event was extended by a week to allow for more applicants, as some had faced challenges in the application procedure.

Military representative Capt Veronica Adzo Arhin said the crush took place before the planned commencement time of 06:20 GMT.

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

Order has been restored, and the recruitment exercise has now started.