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No fewer than 6 individuals have died amid a stampede at a armed forces enlistment gathering held in a sports arena in the West African nation.

The midweek "tragic" event seems to have been caused by "a sudden rush of applicants who overcame security measures and rushed into the gates," stated 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 turned up at the El-Wak sports venue, in the main city, the capital, with the aspiration of enlisting in the armed forces.

The country has a youth unemployment rate of approximately thirty-two percent, the most recent official data indicate, and such enlistment drives normally draw large crowds and frequently result in disorderly situations.

The deadline to submit applications for this event was extended by a week to accommodate more applicants, as some had experienced difficulties in the application procedure.

Army spokesperson Captain Veronica Adzo Arhin said the crush occurred ahead of the planned commencement time of 06:20 GMT.

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

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