The Minister for the Interior, Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak, has appealed to young people seeking to join Ghana’s security services to remain calm and exercise restraint, assuring them that additional recruitment opportunities will be opened in the future.
Speaking at a media briefing on Wednesday, March 11, the minister acknowledged the disappointment among some applicants amid the ongoing recruitment exercise but emphasised that the process cannot absorb everyone at once.
“I know a lot of young people may be disappointed, but they should exercise restraint. This is not going to be the first and last recruitment that the government is going to be having,” he said.
Mr. Mohammed-Mubarak explained that the recruitment process must follow structured systems designed to minimise human interference and ensure fairness.
According to him, the large number of applicants competing for limited positions makes it necessary to rely on objective methods to screen candidates.
He noted that the challenge would remain even if recruitment were limited to a single profession, such as media practitioners, pointing out that thousands of people across the country would still apply for a relatively small number of slots.
“In such a situation, what criteria would you use to select a limited number without introducing human bias?” he asked.
The minister stressed that the aim is to ensure that only the most qualified individuals are admitted into the security services, adding that the country requires professional officers across the various agencies.
He also indicated that strict screening processes are necessary to prevent individuals with serious challenges, including drug abuse or mental health conditions, from entering the services.
Mr. Mohammed-Mubarak further assured the public that the government remains committed to expanding opportunities for young people, noting that John Dramani Mahama has indicated that more recruitment into the security services will be undertaken as the economy improves.
