John Dramani Mahama has directed a significant expansion in recruitment into Ghana’s security services, ordering that the number of personnel enlisted be increased from 20,000 to 40,000 over the next four years.
The directive was issued during a high-level meeting involving heads of security agencies, the Minister for the Interior and the Acting Minister for Defence. The meeting focused on briefing the President on the ongoing recruitment exercise across the country’s security institutions.
According to a statement released on Monday, March 16, 2026, by the Spokesperson to the President and Minister for Government Communications, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, the decision is intended to strengthen Ghana’s security system while also creating more employment opportunities for young people interested in careers within the sector.
Following the briefing, the statement indicated that the President had directed that the recruitment numbers be doubled within the next four years.
“Following a briefing on the process, the President has directed that the number of men and women to be recruited to the various security agencies should be increased from twenty thousand (20,000) to forty thousand (40,000) over a four-year period,” the statement said.
President Mahama also stressed the importance of fairness and transparency in the recruitment process. He instructed the heads of the various security agencies to ensure that the exercise is conducted in a manner that is open and credible.
“The President has also directed the Heads of the Security Agencies to ensure transparency and fairness in the recruitment process,” the statement further noted.
The meeting brought together several key government officials and security chiefs. Among those present were the Chief of Staff, the Secretary to the President, the Senior Presidential Advisor on Governmental Affairs and the National Security Coordinator.
The heads of major security agencies were also in attendance, including the Inspector-General of Police of the Ghana Police Service, the Director-General of the Ghana Prisons Service, the Chief Fire Officer of the Ghana National Fire Service, the Comptroller-General of the Ghana Immigration Service and the Director-General of the Narcotics Control Commission.
The expansion of recruitment forms part of the government’s broader efforts to strengthen the country’s security architecture while addressing unemployment among the youth.
Earlier, the Minister for the Interior, Mubarak Mohammed Muntaka, indicated that the government planned to increase recruitment into the security services as economic conditions improve. He also encouraged applicants who were unsuccessful in previous recruitment exercises to remain patient as more opportunities would be created.
President Mahama has previously proposed reforms aimed at improving the fairness of the recruitment system. Among the proposals is the introduction of regional quotas to ensure balanced representation across the country and to reduce public concerns about favouritism in the enlistment process.
The recruitment expansion is expected to gradually increase personnel numbers across the various security agencies over the coming years, as the government seeks to enhance public safety and strengthen national security operations while creating thousands of new jobs for young Ghanaians.
