PNC chairman Asaki Awingobit warns Interior Minister against “rushed decisions” over security recruitment brouhaha
The National Chairman of the People’s National Convention (PNC), Samson Asaki Awingobit, has warned Interior Minister Mohammed-Mubarak Muntaka to exercise caution in managing the ongoing recruitment into Ghana’s security services, cautioning that hasty decisions could spark a major scandal for the government.
Speaking on the Citizen Show on Accra FM on March 12, monitored by host Nana Otu Darko, Awingobit expressed serious concern over the handling of the recruitment exercise under the Ministry of the Interior.
He highlighted that while the ministry intends to recruit roughly 5,000 personnel across four security agencies, over 50,000 application forms have reportedly been sold to prospective applicants.
“This is a recipe for unnecessary problems,” Awingobit said, questioning why such a large number of applications was allowed when the vacancies were so limited. He noted that many young people, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds, had taken loans or spent scarce resources to purchase the forms in hopes of securing employment.
“Some of these young people borrowed money just to apply. As a responsible minister, if you know you need only 5,000 people across the four sectors, why would you allow over 50,000 forms to be sold?” he asked.
The PNC chairman also criticised the lack of consultation with sector commanders, arguing that key stakeholders within the security agencies should have been involved in the planning and decision-making process before such a major exercise was launched.
He urged the Ministry of the Interior to implement measures to halt the sale of additional forms once the required number of applications is reached and stressed that failure to address these issues could generate controversy, undermine public trust, and place the government in a precarious position.
Awingobit concluded by calling for greater transparency, careful planning, and stakeholder engagement to ensure that the recruitment process is fair, credible, and does not exploit the hopes and resources of young Ghanaians.