More than 500 individuals have been dismissed from Ghana’s security services following a recruitment audit that exposed significant irregularities in the enlistment processes conducted before and after the December 2024 general elections.
The announcement was made on Monday, July 14, 2025, by Minister for the Interior, Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak, during the inaugural session of the Government Accountability Series held in Accra.
According to the Minister, a special audit committee examined the records of approximately 5,200 recruits across major security agencies. The findings revealed that hundreds of individuals failed to meet the minimum entry criteria.
Breakdown of those removed includes:
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Ghana Police Service – approximately 320 disqualified
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Ghana Immigration Service – around 730 removed
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Narcotics Control Commission – about 50 affected
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The review was initiated in response to widespread public concerns over recruitment advertisements published in August 2024, just months ahead of the elections. Members of the Minority in Parliament had accused the previous government of deliberately manipulating the process to favour political loyalists.
Minister Muntaka confirmed that all affected individuals were given written explanations for their disqualification.
To address the flaws and restore credibility, he announced the introduction of new recruitment guidelines that would clearly distinguish between officer roles and support staff positions.
Future recruitment will also cater to non-academic roles for skilled tradespeople—such as drivers, cooks, tailors, and painters—who will be hired specifically for those functions.
“I know people who went to vocational school and became dressmakers. The services need them to sew uniforms,” he said. “But they must know they’re being recruited as artisans, not officers.”
He stressed that all future recruitment advertisements will clearly outline job responsibilities and minimum qualification requirements to enhance transparency and public trust.
Since the 2024 elections, concerns have grown over political influence and professionalism within the security services. Reports of “party foot soldiers” being recruited into national security agencies have fueled public demand for reform.
This audit marks one of the most comprehensive reviews of recruitment practices in recent years and is part of a broader initiative by the government to raise standards in the security sector.
The Government Accountability Series, launched by the Office of the President, is designed to offer regular updates on ministerial activities and governance. Additional briefings from other ministries are expected in the coming weeks.
Story By: Afia Ohenewaa Akyerem