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No fewer than 6 people have lost their lives amid a crowd crush at a military recruitment event held in a sports arena in Ghana.

The Wednesday's "devastating" event seems to have been caused by "an unexpected surge of applicants who overcame security measures and rushed into the entrances," stated a statement from Ghana's armed forces.

Twenty-two additional individuals were hurt, among them 5 who remain in critical condition.

A large crowd had gathered at El-Wak stadium, in the main city, Accra, with the aspiration of joining the armed forces.

The country has a rate of joblessness among young people of about thirty-two percent, the latest official data indicate, and such enlistment drives normally draw large crowds and frequently lead to disorderly situations.

The closing date to submit applications for this recruitment was extended by a seven days to accommodate more applicants, as a number had faced challenges in the process.

Military representative Captain Veronica Adzo Arhin said the crush took place ahead of the planned commencement time of 06:20 GMT.

The nation's leader John Mahama has gone to see the wounded in hospital.

Calm has been reestablished, and the enlistment process has since started.