The Minister for the Interior, Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak, has urged young people seeking to join Ghana’s security services to remain calm and exercise restraint, assuring them that more recruitment opportunities will be opened in the future.

Speaking at a media briefing on Wednesday, March 11, the minister acknowledged the disappointment among some applicants in the ongoing security service recruitment process but stressed that the exercise cannot accommodate everyone at once.

“I know a lot of young people may be disappointed, but they should exercise restraint. This is not going to be the first and last recruitment that the government is going to be having,” he said.

Mr. Mohammed-Mubarak explained that the recruitment process must follow structured systems that minimise human interference in order to ensure fairness.

According to him, the high number of applicants competing for limited positions makes it necessary to rely on objective methods to screen candidates.

The minister said the goal is to ensure that only the most qualified candidates are admitted into the security services, noting that the country needs professional officers across the various agencies.

"I know the disappointment, I know the difficulty, but the issue is about joblessness and not an issue about scarcity. And all of us know you want to get a professional police officer. You want to get a professional immigration officer. You just don't want any person to go in," he said.

He also indicated that strict screening processes are necessary to prevent individuals with serious challenges, including drug abuse or mental health issues, from entering the services.

"We are having a challenge with people with mental issues in the service. We have people with drug issues in the service. All these things are things that you use, and through that, some people will fall along the way to enable us to get the best of the best. So, I know a lot of young people may be disappointed, but they should exercise restraint."

Mr. Mohammed-Mubarak assured the public that the government remains committed to expanding opportunities for young people.

He added that President John Mahama has indicated that more recruitment into the security services will be undertaken as the economy improves.