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At least six people have died during a stampede at a armed forces enlistment gathering held in a sports arena in Ghana.

The Wednesday's "tragic" event seems to have been caused by "a sudden rush of candidates who breached security protocols and rushed into the entrances," announced a statement from Ghana's armed forces.

22 additional individuals were injured, among them five 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 military.

The country has a youth unemployment rate of about 32%, the latest government statistics show, and such recruitment events normally attract large crowds and frequently result in disorderly situations.

The deadline to submit applications for this event was extended by a seven days to accommodate additional candidates, as some had experienced challenges in the application procedure.

Army spokesperson Captain Veronica Adzo Arhin stated the stampede occurred before the planned commencement time of 6:20 AM Greenwich Mean Time.

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

Order has been restored, and the recruitment exercise has since started.