A seven-member committee has been established to review recruitment processes in various security services, aiming to ensure fairness and transparency, while eliminating partisan political affiliations that have characterised past recruitments.
It is composed of seasoned professionals with extensive experience in security administration, public service, and legal expertise, chaired by Mr Yaw Akrasi Sarpong.
Other members were Commissioner of Police (Rtd) Mr Bright Oduro; Deputy Comptroller of Immigration (Rtd) Mr Eric Afari, Former Deputy Director of Prisons, Mr Ben Lartey.
The rest are legal practitioner, Madam Elsie Appau; Mr Alexander Twum-Barimah (Secretary to the Committee) and former Deputy Chief Fire Officer of the Ghana Fire Service, Mr Kwesi Adutwum.
The Minister of the Interior, Mr Mohammed Mubarak Muntaka, who inaugurated the committee yesterday in Accra, said the committee had two weeks to submit its findings and recommendations to the Ministry.
He said to facilitate the work of the committee, the government, through the Ministry, would provide the necessary logistics and financial resources, including office space and administrative support, access to relevant documents and databases, funding for stakeholder consultations and field research and as well as technical support for drafting the final report.
“The government is committed to ensuring that Ghana’s security agencies are professional, efficient, and capable of safeguarding our nation.
Our vision is to build strong, well-resourced, and accountable security institutions that uphold the rule of law, protect our citizens, and contribute to national development,” the Minister said.
He said the Ministry had the mandate to oversee recruitment into key security institutions, including the Ghana Police Service, Ghana Prisons Service, Ghana National Fire Service, and Ghana Immigration Service.
Mr Muntaka said these institutions played a critical role in maintaining law and order, protecting lives and property, and securing our national borders, stressing that the committee would directly report to him.
He said the 2024 recruitment processes for these agencies were conducted with many stakeholders regarding transparency, fairness, efficiency, and integrity in the recruitment processes.
“To address these concerns, it has become necessary to conduct a comprehensive review to ensure that our recruitment processes remain credible and aligned with best practices.
“I urge members of the committee to approach their mandate with diligence, objectivity, and integrity as their findings and recommendations will play a crucial role in shaping the future of security sector recruitment in Ghana,” Mr Muntaka said.
BY BERNARD BENGHAN
