Security expert Dr Ishmael Norman has thrown his support behind the Interior Minister’s attempt to base recruitment and selection in the security sector on merit.

The President of the Institute for Security, Disaster and Emergency Studies described the move as bold but necessary, despite expected public resistance.

Speaking on Joy News’ PM Express on Wednesday, Dr Norman said Mohammed Muntaka Mubarak deserves praise for attempting to pursue a merit-based system in an environment where political patronage has often shaped recruitment decisions.

“I think we need to applaud the minister of interior for being a moral politician and a moral leader trying to do the selection based upon meritocracy,” he said.

Dr. Norman described the move as unprecedented in Ghana’s public administration landscape, noting that it reflects an attempt to change long-standing practices.

“This, for me, is the first time I’m seeing this kind of thing happen in Ghana, and I am totally immersed with admiration for them,” he added.

According to him, the process of selecting candidates purely on merit is not easy. He noted that such reforms often involve difficult decisions and trade-offs, especially when financial and budgetary constraints limit the number of people who can be recruited at a time.

“It’s a very difficult choice-making and decision-making process,” he said.

Dr Norman suggested that implementing the recruitment exercise in phases would allow the authorities to manage financial implications while still maintaining the integrity of the process.

“I believe that the minister and the committee are still going about it the right way, so that if they do it in phases, then they are able to accommodate more people, considering the budget, the financial implications involved in every single person that you hire,” he explained.

Despite backing the reform, Dr Norman argued that meritocracy may face resistance because it runs counter to entrenched political expectations among sections of the public.

“Meritocracy is not what Ghanaians want,” he said.

He suggested that many citizens are more accustomed to identity-based politics and patronage systems where individuals gain opportunities through political or partisan connections.

“Ghanaians, whether they are NDP or NDC, they want, you know, identity politics, no patrimonialism. You push people in because your party is in power, that’s what they want,” he said.

Dr Norman acknowledged that attempting to shift away from such practices requires confronting deeply rooted social and political behaviour.

“It’s very, very difficult to go against the grain of the moral behaviour of the society,” he said.

However, he maintained that the Interior Minister’s approach represents the correct direction for reforming recruitment in the sector and strengthening institutional credibility.

“But they are on the right path. They should do the right thing,” he added.

Dr Norman expressed confidence that pursuing a merit-based approach, despite the challenges, could ultimately prove beneficial for the government behind the reform.

“In the end, victory will again be on the part of the NDC,” he said.