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

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

Twenty-two others were injured, including 5 who remain in critical condition.

Thousands had gathered at El-Wak stadium, in the main city, the capital, with the hope of enlisting in the armed forces.

Ghana has a youth unemployment rate of approximately 32%, the latest government statistics show, and such recruitment events normally attract massive gatherings and often lead to disorderly situations.

The deadline to submit applications for this event was extended by a week to accommodate additional candidates, as some had faced difficulties in the process.

Army spokesperson Capt Veronica Adzo Arhin stated the crush occurred ahead of the event's scheduled start of 6:20 AM Greenwich Mean Time.

The nation's leader President John Mahama has visited the wounded in medical care.

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