News
“More than half a million Ghanaians applied to join the country’s security services”
- /home/u249204778/domains/spectator.com.gh/public_html/wp-content/plugins/mvp-social-buttons/mvp-social-buttons.php on line 27
https://spectator.com.gh/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/WhatsApp-Image-2026-03-11-at-18.36.54-1000x600.jpeg&description=“More than half a million Ghanaians applied to join the country’s security services”', 'pinterestShare', 'width=750,height=350'); return false;" title="Pin This Post">
- Share
- Tweet /home/u249204778/domains/spectator.com.gh/public_html/wp-content/plugins/mvp-social-buttons/mvp-social-buttons.php on line 72
https://spectator.com.gh/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/WhatsApp-Image-2026-03-11-at-18.36.54-1000x600.jpeg&description=“More than half a million Ghanaians applied to join the country’s security services”', 'pinterestShare', 'width=750,height=350'); return false;" title="Pin This Post">
The Minister for the Interior, Muntaka Mohammed Mubarak, has revealed that more than half a million Ghanaians applied to join the country’s security services, even though only about 5,000 positions are available in the first phase of the recruitment exercise.
He made this known today in Parliament while addressing concerns about the ongoing recruitment process and the high level of competition among applicants.
According to the minister, the limited number of vacancies is largely due to economic constraints and the available infrastructure within the various security services.
Mr. Mubarak explained that in the Ghana Police Service, the economy could only accommodate 2,500 new officers in the other ranks and 500 cadets, bringing the total number of new recruits for the service to about 3,000.
He noted that despite the limited vacancies, about 130,000 applicants indicated interest in joining the Ghana Police Service.
The minister disclosed that the Ghana Immigration Service recorded even higher interest from applicants.
According to him, by the time the recruitment portal was closed, more than 180,000 young men and women had applied to join the service, even though the current total staff strength of the Immigration Service stands at about 18,300 officers.
Mr. Mubarak said that due to infrastructure and capacity limitations, the service could only recruit 1,000 new officers in the current phase.
He further explained that the Ghana National Fire Service also received about 124,000 applications, even though the service currently has just over 17,000 personnel nationwide.
Despite the large number of applicants, he indicated that the service could only recruit a limited number of personnel due to space and logistical constraints.
The minister added that the Ghana Prisons Service received about 71,000 applications, even though its current staff strength stands at just over 14,000 officers.
According to him, the service could only accommodate 500 new recruits in the ongoing exercise.
Mr. Mubarak said that when all the available vacancies across the various security services are combined, the total number of recruits for the first phase of the exercise comes to about 5,000.
He explained that after the body selection and documentation stages of the recruitment process, fewer than 30,000 applicants were disqualified, leaving about 400,000 candidates eligible to proceed to the aptitude test and medical examination stages.
The minister noted that the high number of applicants shows the strong interest among young people in joining the country’s security services, but emphasized that recruitment must be conducted within the available capacity of the institutions.
By: Jacob Aggrey
The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has taken note of public allegations of extortion and related conduct made against the Minority Leader of Parliament, Alexander Afenyo-Markin.
The allegations were made by the Chief Executive of the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod), Sammy Gyamfi.
In a brief statement, the OSP said it has also received a joint petition submitted by two persons, as well as two separate petitions from other persons, in relation to the same allegations.
“Given the nature of the allegations, the OSP will assess the case and determine whether it falls within its statutory mandate and whether further investigative action is warranted,” the statement said.
The development comes amid a heated public feud between the Minority in Parliament and the leadership of GoldBod over the operations of the Domestic Gold Purchase Programme.
The Minority, led by Afenyo-Markin, has accused GoldBod and the Bank of Ghana of causing a loss of over $1.7 billion, citing the International Monetary Fund’s August 2026 report. The Minority has vowed to pursue the matter as Parliament has reconvened for an emergency sitting.
GoldBod, on the other hand, has rejected claims by some NPP MPs, including Tano South MP Dr Gideon Boako, that it owes the Bank of Ghana GH¢1 billion in overdrafts, describing the claim as “false and malicious.”
In the latest twist, GoldBod CEO Sammy Gyamfi has accused the Minority Leader of extortion and related conduct, an allegation that has triggered petitions to the OSP.
The OSP is mandated under Act 959 to investigate and prosecute specific cases of alleged or suspected corruption and corruption-related offences involving public officers and politically exposed persons.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Justin Kodua Frimpong, has filed his nomination to contest the position of General Secretary again as the party begins its rebuilding efforts ahead of the 2028 general elections.
He was accompanied by party stalwarts and supporters who were in high spirits, expressing confidence that he is the right person to hold the position.
Speaking after filing his nomination, Mr Kodua Frimpong assured the rank and file of the party that he would not disappoint them.
“I can assure you that the faith the rank and file of the party have had in me, I will never disappoint them,” he said.
He also pledged to run a clean campaign devoid of personal attacks.
“I can assure you that our internal campaign will be devoid of personal attacks,” he told his fellow contestants and the rank and file of the party as he seeks to retain his position.
His tenure has seen the party through the 2024 general elections, where the NPP lost power to the National Democratic Congress (NDC) after eight years in government.
The party is currently in a rebuilding phase, with internal elections scheduled to elect new national executives to lead its reorganization towards the 2028 polls.
The General Secretary position is considered one of the most influential in the party’s administrative structure, responsible for the day-to-day running of the party secretariat and implementation of party decisions.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
