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At least 6 individuals have lost their lives during a crowd crush at a military recruitment gathering held in a sports arena in the West African nation.

The Wednesday's "tragic" event appeared to have been caused by "a sudden rush of candidates who overcame security measures and rushed into the gates," stated a statement from Ghana's armed forces.

Twenty-two additional individuals were injured, among them five who are in serious state.

A large crowd had gathered at the El-Wak sports venue, in the capital, Accra, with the hope of enlisting in the armed forces.

The country has a rate of joblessness among young people of approximately thirty-two percent, the latest official data show, and such enlistment drives normally attract large crowds and often lead to disorderly situations.

The closing date to submit applications for this event was extended by a week to allow for additional candidates, as some had faced challenges in the application procedure.

Army spokesperson Capt Veronica Adzo Arhin stated the crush took place ahead of the event's scheduled start of 06:20 GMT.

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

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