No Fewer Than 6 Lose Their Lives in Stampede at Ghana Military Recruitment Drive

Event location
A Multitude Gathered at the Venue in Accra

No fewer than six people have lost their lives amid a crowd crush at a armed forces enlistment gathering held in a stadium in the West African nation.

The Wednesday's "tragic" event appeared to have been triggered by "a sudden rush of applicants who breached security protocols and stormed the entrances," announced a release from the nation's military.

22 others were injured, including 5 who are in serious state.

A large crowd had gathered at El-Wak stadium, in the main city, the capital, with the aspiration of joining the armed forces.

Ghana has a rate of joblessness among young people of approximately 32%, the latest official data show, and such enlistment drives typically attract massive gatherings and often result in chaotic scenes.

The closing date to submit applications for this event was prolonged for a seven days to accommodate additional candidates, as some had experienced challenges in the process.

Military representative Capt Veronica Adzo Arhin said the crush occurred before the event's scheduled start of 06:20 GMT.

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

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

Shawn Torres
Shawn Torres

A digital marketing strategist with over a decade of experience in social media growth and brand development.