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

At least six people have died during a crowd crush at a armed forces enlistment event held in a sports arena in the West African nation.

The midweek "devastating" event seems to have been caused by "a sudden rush of candidates who overcame security measures and rushed into the entrances," announced a statement from the nation's military.

Twenty-two additional individuals were hurt, among them 5 who remain in critical condition.

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

The country has a rate of joblessness among young people of approximately thirty-two percent, the latest government statistics show, and such recruitment events normally attract large crowds and often result in chaotic scenes.

The deadline to submit applications for this event was extended by a week to allow for additional candidates, as a number had experienced challenges in the application procedure.

Army spokesperson Capt Veronica Adzo Arhin said the crush took place before the planned commencement time of 6:20 AM Greenwich Mean Time.

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

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