No Fewer Than Six Perish in Stampede at Ghana Military Recruitment Event

No fewer than six people have died during a crowd crush at a military recruitment gathering held in a stadium in Ghana.

The Wednesday's "devastating" event seems to have been caused by "a sudden rush of candidates who overcame security measures and stormed the entrances," announced a statement from Ghana's armed forces.

Twenty-two others were hurt, including 5 who are in serious state.

Thousands had turned up at El-Wak stadium, in the main city, the capital, with the hope of enlisting in the military.

Ghana has a youth unemployment rate of approximately 32%, the latest official data indicate, and such enlistment drives typically draw massive gatherings and frequently lead to disorderly situations.

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

Army spokesperson Captain Veronica Adzo Arhin stated the stampede occurred before the event's scheduled start of 6:20 AM Greenwich Mean Time.

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

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