The government is preparing a Cabinet memorandum to introduce mandatory drug testing for applicants seeking employment in the public service, Interior Minister Mohammed Mubarak Muntaka has announced.
Speaking on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show on Monday, October 12, 2026, Mr Muntaka said the proposed policy would initially apply to public service recruitment, with the possibility of extending it to the private sector subject to Cabinet approval.
He said the initiative was intended to deter substance abuse and discourage prospective employees from using illicit drugs.
The Minister cited the recent security services recruitment exercise, during which more than 6,000 applicants were reportedly disqualified after failing drug tests.
“We were alarmed during the security services recruitment about the number of persons we had to disqualify because they failed the drug test. We disqualified over 6,000 people due to drugs,” he said.
Mr Muntaka added that concerns about substance abuse among serving security personnel had also informed the introduction of drug and mental health screening into recruitment procedures.
Concerns over drug abuse
The Interior Minister expressed further concern about reports of students smuggling drugs into senior high schools for sale to their colleagues.
He also raised concerns about alleged illegal cannabis cultivation and reports of ambulances and bullion vans being used to transport the substance.
According to him, the government is intensifying efforts to combat drug-related offences through law enforcement operations, including the destruction of illicit cannabis farms and the arrest of suspected offenders.
He said public education was also being expanded through schools, churches, mosques and organised groups to raise awareness of the dangers associated with substance abuse.
Plans for state-owned rehabilitation centre
As part of the broader response to drug abuse, Mr Muntaka announced plans to establish a state-owned narcotics rehabilitation centre to complement existing private facilities.
The proposed centre is expected to strengthen access to rehabilitation services for people struggling with substance abuse.
The Minister also encouraged interested individuals and businesses to apply for licences to cultivate and trade in industrial cannabis, arguing that regulated production could improve oversight and help curb illegal activities.
Legal framework for cannabis cultivation
Ghana’s existing legal framework, comprising the Narcotics Control Commission (Amendment) Act, 2023 (Act 1100), and the Narcotics Control Commission Regulations, 2023 (L.I. 2475), provides for licensed cannabis cultivation for industrial and medicinal purposes, subject to regulatory requirements.
Under the framework, permitted cannabis cultivation is subject to a tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) content limit of no more than 0.3 per cent.
The government’s proposed drug-testing policy, meanwhile, remains subject to Cabinet consideration. If approved, its implementation would mark a further step in the government’s efforts to address substance abuse and strengthen screening procedures in public service recruitment.
