Omanghana
John Dramani Mahama has directed that recruitment into Ghana’s security services be significantly expanded, increasing the annual intake of new personnel to 10,000. The move doubles the previously planned intake of 5,000 recruits for the current recruitment exercise.
The directive was issued on March 16, 2026, following a high-level meeting at the Presidency involving senior government officials, ministers, and the leadership of the country’s security agencies. The new policy also raises the long-term recruitment target from 20,000 to 40,000 personnel over a four-year period.
Under the revised plan, Ghana will recruit approximately 10,000 new personnel each year across several key security institutions. The expanded recruitment program will include the Ghana Police Service, Ghana Immigration Service, Ghana Prisons Service, Ghana National Fire Service, and the Narcotics Control Commission.
During the meeting, President Mahama emphasized that the recruitment process must be conducted in a transparent, fair, and merit-based manner to ensure public confidence in the exercise.
The decision comes after widespread public discussion about the intense competition for positions in the security services. Earlier recruitment figures revealed that nearly 500,000 applicants had applied for only about 5,000 available positions in the 2025 intake, highlighting the strong demand for employment opportunities in the sector.
To better manage the high number of applicants, the president also directed that authorities create a database of qualified candidates who successfully pass the required medical examinations but are not selected in the initial phase. These candidates could then be considered for future recruitment exercises, including the 2026 intake.
Government officials say the expanded recruitment drive is intended to strengthen Ghana’s national security architecture while improving operational capacity across the various agencies. The initiative is also expected to help address youth unemployment by creating additional opportunities for young Ghanaians seeking careers in public service.
However, officials acknowledge that the expansion will require careful financial planning. Increasing recruitment levels will involve additional costs related to training, salaries, equipment, and operational logistics for the security services as the government works to implement the new policy.
Source: Omanghana
