By: Kenneth Appiah Bani
President John Dramani Mahama has announced a bold new policy to decentralize recruitment into Ghana’s security services, promising a fairer and more inclusive system that gives every region a stake in national service.
Speaking at a durbar in the Western Region as part of his ongoing “Thank You Tour,” the President stated that government is awaiting financial clearance from the Ministry of Finance to begin rolling out the regional recruitment quota system.
“We also promised to decentralize recruitment into the security services,” President Mahama declared. “And so we’re waiting for financial clearance from the Minister of Finance. And when we get it, every region is going to have a quota to send our young people to serve in the security services.”
The proposed system will allocate specific recruitment quotas to each of Ghana’s 16 regions, allowing young people from all corners of the country to gain equitable access to enlistment opportunities in the Police Service, Armed Forces, Fire Service, Immigration Service, and Prisons Service.
President Mahama stressed that the decentralization of recruitment is part of a broader effort to promote national unity, reduce perceptions of favoritism, and ensure that Ghana’s security architecture reflects the country’s regional diversity.
The announcement was met with enthusiastic applause from the crowd gathered at the durbar, many of whom have long advocated for reforms in the recruitment process, which has often been criticized for lacking transparency and equal access.
Observers and civil society groups have welcomed the policy direction, urging its swift implementation once financial clearance is secured.
President Mahama reiterated his commitment to fairness and equal opportunity, emphasizing that the development of Ghana must include all regions, especially in matters as vital as national security.
The regional recruitment quota is expected to take effect in the next round of enlistments, pending financial approval.
