RANA petitions John Mahama to audit and refund security recruitment fees

A human rights group, the Rights Accountability Network (RANA), has petitioned President John Dramani Mahama to order an audit into millions of cedis collected from thousands of unemployed Ghanaian youth as recruitment fees for the country’s security services.

According to the group, the scale of the recruitment exercise raises serious concerns about fairness and possible exploitation.

RANA notes that more than 500,000 applicants reportedly competed for just about 5,000 available positions giving each applicant roughly a one percent chance of success.

In its petition, which was copied to the media, the group argues that charging applicants fees under such highly competitive conditions places an unjust financial burden on already vulnerable young people seeking employment.

RANA is therefore calling on the President not only to initiate a full audit of the recruitment process but also to ensure refunds are made to all unsuccessful applicants who paid the fees.

“For many young Ghanaians, recruitment into the security services represents one of the few viable pathways to stable employment. Requiring applicants to pay to participate in such a limited process imposes a significant burden on individuals who are already economically vulnerable,” the petition stated.

The group further emphasized that while the State is not obligated to guarantee employment, it has a responsibility to ensure that recruitment processes are fair, transparent, and do not disproportionately disadvantage citizens.

The petition has also been copied to the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) for further consideration.

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