Minority calls for immediate suspension of security recruitment exercise

Minority in Parliament is calling for an immediate suspension of the ongoing recruitment exercise into Ghana's security services, labeling the process as deeply flawed and unfair.

They have also urged persons who paid fees during the application process to demand a refund.

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In a passionate interview with JoyNews, Rev John Ntim Fordjour, the Ranking Member on Parliament’s Defence and Interior Committee, didn't mince words in criticising the handlers of the recruitment exercise.

He described the entire exercise as a “major recruitment scandal” and demanded a bipartisan probe by Parliament.

“They should refund, as a matter of urgency, to everyone — whether New Patriotic Party, National Democratic Congress, or apolitical. They should refund and dissolve this biggest recruitment scandal,” he said.

His outrage comes on the heels of disclosure by the interior minister Mohammed Mubarak Muntaka that only around 5,000 openings exist for over 150,000 qualified applicants.

The situation paints a stark illustration of how desperate the job hunt has become for so many youth hoping for stable employment in the Police, Immigration, Fire, Prisons, or other security agencies.

The process has already crushed hopes for thousands who were disqualified after the aptitude tests.

The development has not only left them frustrated, but many are questioning whether the system was truly merit-based and transparent.

Rev Fordjour argued that the current centralized approach should be scrapped entirely.

He suggested that each security agency should handle its own recruitment, with the Ministry simply providing policy guidance and oversight to keep things fair.

“They should immediately suspend it, refund everybody’s money, and revert to a system where the security agencies themselves handle their own recruitment and provide merit-based policy direction,” he stated.

Commenting on the aptitude testing, he stated that he sees as a lack of basic fairness and clarity.

“When you are sitting the aptitude test, you must be afforded uninterrupted 45 minutes of internet access. When you finish answering, there should be transparent feedback, AI-generated so that you immediately know your assessment,” he explained.

For many young people who've invested time, hope, and hard-earned cash into this process only to face mass disqualifications, these concerns hit home.

Rev Fordjour's push reflects a growing sense of betrayal among applicants and a broader frustration over how scarce opportunities are being handled at a time when youth unemployment remains painfully high.

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The Minority is therefore calling for a suspension of the exercise, monies returned, and a better alternative going forward.

NA/VPO

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