President John Dramani Mahama has rejected claims that recent recruitment into Ghana’s security services was influenced by favouritism, insisting that the use of digital systems ensured fairness and transparency.
Speaking during an engagement with the Ghanaian community in Philadelphia on Thursday, March 26, the President explained that the introduction of technology into the recruitment process was intended to eliminate long-standing concerns about bias in public sector hiring.
“There have been a lot of complaints that people get recruited based on who they know. This was an attempt to use digitalisation to sort through the first wave of applications. The computer doesn’t know who you are,” he said.
President Mahama acknowledged that the exercise recorded an overwhelming response, far exceeding expectations. He disclosed that about 500,000 vouchers were sold, although the initial plan was to recruit only 5,000 personnel.
“The intent was in good faith, but the response was overwhelming. We held a meeting and decided to expand the recruitment, and all those who applied don’t need to pay again,” he added.
He assured that additional measures would be implemented to further strengthen transparency and equal opportunity in future recruitment exercises within the security services.
The process has, however, attracted scrutiny, with critics raising concerns about its scale and fairness. While over 500,000 applicants expressed interest, the limited number of available positions highlights growing unemployment pressures in the country.
Some observers have also questioned the centralised system managed by the Ministry of the Interior, arguing that it may have affected accessibility and transparency during the recruitment process.
