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At least 6 people have died during a stampede at a armed forces enlistment gathering held in a sports arena in Ghana.

The Wednesday's "tragic" incident seems to have been triggered by "an unexpected surge of candidates who breached security protocols and stormed the entrances," announced a release from Ghana's armed forces.

22 others were injured, among them 5 who are in serious state.

A large crowd had gathered 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 about 32%, the latest government statistics indicate, and such enlistment drives typically draw large crowds and frequently result in disorderly situations.

The deadline to submit applications for this event was prolonged for a seven days to allow for more applicants, as some had experienced challenges in the application procedure.

Military representative Capt Veronica Adzo Arhin stated the crush occurred ahead of the planned commencement time of 06:20 GMT.

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

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