The Ministry of the Interior has established a seven-member committee to review last year’s recruitment into the security services.
This review will encompass the Ghana Police Service, Ghana Prisons Service, Ghana National Fire Service, Ghana Immigration Service, and other agencies.
The committee, led by Yaw Akrasi Sarpong, a former Executive Secretary of the Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC), has two weeks to submit its report. Other members include retired Commissioner of Police Bright Oduro, former Deputy Comptroller of Immigration Eric Afari, retired Deputy Director of Prisons Ben Lartey, retired Deputy Chief Fire Officer Paa Kwesi Adutwum, lawyer Elsie Apau, and Alexander Twum-Barimah, who serves as the committee’s Secretary.
During the committee’s inauguration in Accra yesterday, Interior Minister Alhaji Muntaka Mohammed Mubarak urged members to approach their tasks with diligence, objectivity, and integrity. He emphasized the government’s commitment, under President John Dramani Mahama, to ensuring that security agencies are professional, efficient, and capable of safeguarding the nation.
“Our vision is to create strong, well-resourced, and accountable security institutions that uphold the rule of law, protect our citizens, and contribute to national development,” he stated. Alhaji Mubarak highlighted the importance of fair, transparent, and merit-based recruitment processes, noting that the integrity of these processes directly impacts the credibility and effectiveness of security agencies.
The Ministry for the Interior is responsible for overseeing recruitment in key security institutions, including the police, prisons, fire service, and immigration service, all of which are vital for maintaining law and order and securing national borders.
In 2024, recruitment for these agencies raised concerns about transparency, fairness, efficiency, and integrity. To address these issues, a comprehensive review has been deemed necessary to ensure that recruitment processes align with best practices.
The committee has been tasked with evaluating the transparency, fairness, and integrity of the recruitment processes across the various services currently in training. It will assess compliance with established procedures and recommend measures to enhance transparency, efficiency, and accountability.
After its work, the committee is expected to submit a detailed report outlining its findings, identified challenges, and specific recommendations for policy, procedural, and institutional reforms, along with an implementation roadmap for these reforms.
Alhaji Mubarak indicated that the committee would report directly to him, and the final report would be submitted to the ministry for further action in collaboration with relevant authorities. To support the committee’s efforts, the government will provide necessary logistical and financial resources, including office space, access to relevant documents, and funding for stakeholder consultations and field research.
Mr. Sarpong assured that the committee members would strive to meet the minister’s expectations.
