At Least Six Lose Their Lives in Crowd Crush at Ghanaian Military Recruitment Event

No fewer than 6 people have lost their lives amid a crowd crush at a military recruitment gathering held in a sports arena in the West African nation.

The Wednesday's "tragic" incident seems to have been caused by "a sudden rush of candidates who breached security protocols and stormed the gates," stated a statement from Ghana's armed forces.

Twenty-two additional individuals were hurt, including five who remain in serious state.

Thousands had turned up at the El-Wak sports venue, in the main city, Accra, with the hope of joining the armed forces.

Ghana has a youth unemployment rate of about thirty-two percent, the most recent government statistics indicate, and such recruitment events typically attract massive gatherings and frequently result in chaotic scenes.

The deadline to submit applications for this recruitment was prolonged for a seven days to accommodate additional candidates, as some had faced challenges in the process.

Army spokesperson Capt Veronica Adzo Arhin said the stampede occurred before the planned commencement time of 06:20 GMT.

Ghana's President John Mahama has gone to see the wounded in hospital.

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