More than 500 recruits have been dismissed from Ghana’s security services following an audit that uncovered widespread irregularities in the recruitment process before and after the December 2024 elections.
The announcement was made by Interior Minister Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak during the first Government Accountability Series on Monday, July 14, 2025, in Accra.
A special committee reviewed the files of over 5,200 personnel and found that many failed to meet basic recruitment requirements—ranging from academic qualifications to age and medical fitness.
Affected Agencies and Numbers
- Ghana Police Service – 320 disqualified
- Ghana Immigration Service – 730 removed
- Narcotics Control Commission – 50 affected
The review was launched after complaints about recruitment ads published in August 2024, just ahead of the elections. Allegations emerged that the previous government had politicized the process to favor party loyalists.
Minister Muntaka highlighted troubling cases, including:
- A recruit in their 40s with diabetes, declared medically unfit
- An MP’s relative who failed all SSSCE subjects, yet nearly completed training
“If you don’t meet the minimum qualifications, you have to go,” he stated, adding that every dismissed recruit received written notice.
New Guidelines and Artisan Recruitment
To ensure transparency, the Ministry will introduce new recruitment guidelines that clearly distinguish between officer roles and artisan roles (e.g. cooks, drivers, dressmakers).
“We need tailors to sew uniforms—but they must know they’re being recruited as artisans, not officers,” Muntaka explained.
Future job advertisements will also clearly define roles and qualifications to avoid manipulation and build public trust.
Background
The audit is one of Ghana’s most extensive security sector reviews in recent years. It follows growing concerns about political interference, particularly the recruitment of so-called “party foot soldiers” into the security forces.
The Government Accountability Series is a new initiative by the Presidency to promote transparency in governance, with ministers expected to report their performance regularly.
