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

At least 6 people have died amid a stampede at a armed forces enlistment gathering held in a stadium in Ghana.

The Wednesday's "tragic" event appeared to have been caused by "a sudden rush of applicants who overcame security measures and rushed into the entrances," announced a statement from the nation's military.

22 others were injured, including 5 who remain in critical condition.

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

Ghana has a youth unemployment rate of approximately thirty-two percent, the latest government statistics show, and such recruitment events typically attract large crowds and frequently lead to disorderly situations.

The deadline to apply for this recruitment was prolonged for a week to accommodate more applicants, as a number had experienced challenges in the process.

Military representative Captain Veronica Adzo Arhin stated the stampede occurred ahead of the event's scheduled start of 06:20 GMT.

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

Order has been restored, and the enlistment process has since begun.