The President of the Ghana Journalists Association, Albert Dwumfour, has called for the removal of political influence from recruitment into Ghana’s security services, warning that such interference weakens national institutions.
Addressing a press conference in Accra on Wednesday, March 18, Mr. Dwumfour expressed concern over what he described as a growing trend of politicisation in enlistment processes. He cautioned that this practice undermines professionalism and erodes public confidence in the security sector.
“The GJA is also calling for the depoliticisation of recruitment into the various security establishments. This trend does not augur well for services that owe allegiance to the state, not to any political party or government,” he said, urging especially some Ministers of State to refrain from such actions.
The Association further called on authorities to ensure that recruitment processes are conducted in a fair, transparent, and efficient manner. While acknowledging the potential benefits of digital systems and emerging technologies, Mr. Dwumfour stressed the need for caution in their deployment.
“The increasing use of Artificial Intelligence and digital tools must be carefully monitored to avoid bias or unintended exclusion of qualified applicants,” he noted.
He emphasised that maintaining merit-based recruitment is critical to strengthening state institutions and preserving public trust in Ghana’s security architecture.
Meanwhile, the government is undertaking a major recruitment drive expected to bring approximately 40,000 individuals into the country’s security services over a four-year period.
As part of the ongoing process, about 5,000 recruits are currently being enlisted, with the Ghana Armed Forces having begun issuing admission letters to successful applicants nationwide on March 18 to commence training.
However, the exercise has attracted public criticism, particularly over the number of application vouchers sold and concerns about the reduced number of recruits compared to expectations.
