At Least Six Lose Their Lives in Crowd Crush at Ghana Armed Forces Enlistment Drive

No fewer than 6 people have died amid a stampede at a armed forces enlistment event held in a sports arena in the West African nation.

The Wednesday's "tragic" event appeared to have been caused 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, among them 5 who remain in serious state.

Thousands had gathered at El-Wak stadium, in the main city, the capital, with the aspiration of enlisting in the military.

The country has a rate of joblessness among young people of about thirty-two percent, the most recent official data show, and such recruitment events normally attract large crowds and frequently result in disorderly situations.

The deadline to apply for this recruitment was prolonged for a seven days to allow for more applicants, as some had faced difficulties in the application procedure.

Military representative Captain Veronica Adzo Arhin said the crush took place ahead of the planned commencement time of 6:20 AM Greenwich Mean Time.

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

Calm has been restored, and the enlistment process has now started.