No Fewer Than 6 Perish in Crowd Crush at Ghana Military Recruitment Event

At least six people have lost their lives amid a stampede at a armed forces enlistment event held in a sports arena in the West African nation.

The midweek "tragic" event seems to have been caused by "a sudden rush of candidates who breached security protocols and stormed the entrances," announced a statement from the nation's military.

22 additional individuals were injured, including five who are in critical condition.

A large crowd had turned up at El-Wak stadium, in the capital, Accra, with the aspiration of enlisting in the military.

The country has a rate of joblessness among young people of about 32%, the latest official data indicate, and such enlistment drives normally attract large crowds and often lead to disorderly situations.

The deadline to apply for this event was extended by a seven days to allow for more applicants, as a number had faced difficulties in the process.

Army spokesperson Capt Veronica Adzo Arhin said the stampede took place ahead of the event's scheduled start of 6:20 AM Greenwich Mean Time.

The nation's leader John Mahama has gone to see the wounded in medical care.

Calm has been reestablished, and the recruitment exercise has now started.