More than 500 persons have been dismissed from Ghana’s security services following a government review that revealed irregularities in the recruitment processes both before and after the December 2024 general election.
This was disclosed by the Minister for the Interior, Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak, during the inaugural Government Accountability Series held in Accra on Monday, July 14, 2025.
According to him, a special committee examined around 5,200 recruits across various agencies and discovered that hundreds did not meet the essential entry requirements.
The Ghana Police Service was notably affected, with approximately 320 individuals disqualified. The Ghana Immigration Service saw about 730 dismissals, while around 50 were impacted by the Narcotics Control Commission.
Mr. Muntaka stated that the review was initiated in response to public concerns regarding recruitment practices during the last months of the previous government.
Just ahead of the elections in August 2024, numerous advertisements for recruitment were issued. Subsequently, the Minority in Parliament alleged that the process lacked transparency and seemed to have been manipulated in favour of political allies.
The vetting process focused on academic qualifications, age, and medical fitness.
“We were able to get out about 320 who were not supposed to be there. Some were in their forties, diabetic, and medically unfit, but they were picked. We had to explain to them that with their situation, they could not remain in the service,” Mr Muntaka said, referring to the Police Service.
He also shared an instance where a Member of Parliament intervened on behalf of a relative who was close to completing their training.
Upon closer inspection, it turned out that this individual had not passed any subjects in the Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination (SSSCE), which is a fundamental requirement for entry.
“They called and said the person didn’t pass SSSCE, didn’t even record one subject,” Mr Muntaka told journalists. “Once you don’t meet the basic qualification, you have to go.”
According to him, all affected individuals were given written explanations for their removal.
To address broader concerns about fairness, Mr Muntaka said the Ministry is planning new recruitment guidelines that will allow for clearly defined technical and support roles.
He said future recruitment will include non-academic positions for tradespeople such as drivers, dressmakers, cooks, and painters, but those selected will be recruited strictly for those roles.
He stressed that future job postings in the security services will explicitly outline roles and qualifications to eliminate any confusion and rebuild public confidence in the hiring process.
