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At least six people have died during a stampede at a armed forces enlistment event held in a stadium in the West African nation.

The Wednesday's "tragic" incident seems to have been triggered by "an unexpected surge of candidates who breached security protocols and rushed into the gates," announced a statement from the nation's military.

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

Thousands had gathered at the El-Wak sports venue, in the capital, Accra, with the aspiration of enlisting in the armed forces.

The country has a youth unemployment rate of about 32%, the latest government statistics indicate, and such enlistment drives normally draw large crowds and frequently result in chaotic scenes.

The closing date to submit applications for this event was prolonged for a seven days to allow for additional candidates, as some had experienced difficulties in the application procedure.

Army spokesperson Captain Veronica Adzo Arhin stated the crush took place ahead of the planned commencement time of 06:20 GMT.

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

Order has been restored, and the recruitment exercise has now begun.