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At least six individuals have lost their lives amid a crowd crush at a armed forces enlistment gathering held in a stadium in Ghana.

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

22 others were injured, among them five who remain in critical condition.

A large crowd had turned up at the El-Wak sports venue, in the main city, Accra, with the hope of joining the armed forces.

The country has a rate of joblessness among young people of about thirty-two percent, the latest government statistics show, and such recruitment events typically attract large crowds and frequently result in disorderly situations.

The closing date to submit applications for this recruitment was extended by a seven days to allow for more applicants, as a number had faced difficulties in the application procedure.

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

Ghana's President President John Mahama has visited the injured in medical care.

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