Over 500 people sacked from Ghana’s security services after recruitment audit

During the maiden Government Accountability Series in Accra on July 14, 2025, the Minister for the Interior, Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak, announced that more than 1,100 personnel across key security services have been removed following a comprehensive audit of recruitment records for over 5,200 new recruits.

He said the audit exposed systematic irregularities and blatant breaches of recruitment rules dating back to the months before and after the December 2024 general election.

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The affected agencies included the Ghana Police Service, Ghana Immigration Service, and the Narcotics Control Commission. About 50 narcotics personnel, 320 police recruits, and 730 immigration officers have been dismissed for failing to meet the most basic criteria, such as academic qualifications, medical fitness, and age limits.

The minister said some recruits were in their forties, diabetic, medically unfit, or had zero chance of passing the Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination (SSSCE)—yet somehow managed to secure positions.

He recounted how an MP had intervened on behalf of a relative who had nearly completed training. Adding that, on closer review, it was discovered that the individual had not passed a single subject in the Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination (SSSCE), which was a minimum requirement for entry.

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The minister’s remarks revealed a scandal of political interference. Recruitment advertisements published in August 2024 came under fire, especially from the minority in Parliament, who accused the previous administration of stuffing the ranks with ‘party loyalists’ and cronies rather than qualified professionals.

Hon. Muntaka said the ministry is planning new recruitment guidelines that will allow for clearly defined technical and support roles to address broader concerns about fairness.

Future recruitment will distinguish between officers and technical personnel, with tradespeople (drivers, dressmakers, painters) hired strictly for their crafts, not as security officers. Job adverts will henceforth transparently outline eligibility criteria to avoid any ‘creative’ interpretations.

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According to the minister, the audit is part of broader efforts to ensure fairness and raise the standards within the security sector.