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At least six individuals have died during a stampede at a armed forces enlistment gathering held in a sports arena in the West African nation.

The midweek "devastating" incident seems to have been caused by "a sudden rush of candidates who overcame security measures and rushed into the entrances," announced a statement from the nation's military.

Twenty-two additional individuals were injured, among them 5 who are in serious state.

A large crowd had gathered at El-Wak stadium, in the capital, the capital, with the hope of joining the military.

The country has a rate of joblessness among young people of approximately 32%, the most recent official data show, and such enlistment drives typically draw large crowds and often result in disorderly situations.

The deadline to apply for this recruitment was extended by a seven days to accommodate more applicants, as some had faced challenges in the process.

Military representative Captain Veronica Adzo Arhin stated the crush took place ahead of the event's scheduled start of 6:20 AM Greenwich Mean Time.

The nation's leader President John Mahama has gone to see the injured in medical care.

Calm has been reestablished, and the recruitment exercise has now started.