Resist political security recruitment – Kumadoe

3 News

Tue 30th Jul, 2024 07:14

A security analyst, Mr Richard Kuamdoe has called on stakeholders to resist the political security recruitment in Ghana.

To him, it is an indictment on the leaders and managers of state security institutions in Ghana, for allowing politicians to flood their Recruitment frontlines with political party patrons, who, in some cases, may not have the requisite character to serve in such institutions.

Civil society organisations (CSOs) must take up this political Security Recruitment Issue as a core responsibility, and help resolve it, he said.

In a statement, Mr Kuamdie said “Political Security Recruitment in Ghana! It’s an indictment on the leaders and managers of state security institutions in Ghana, for allowing politicians to flood their Recruitment frontlines with political parties patrons, who, in some cases, may not have the requisite character of serving in such institutions.

“When have politicians become Security Recruitment Agents and units in Ghana? Why are we not allowing the state security institutions to recruit people based on the need to do so, backed by the need for specified skill sets. Civil society organisations (CSOs) must take up this political Security Recruitment Issue as a core responsibility, and help resolve it.

“With the current Recruitment approach, we might be building up a weak, biased, prejudice, and unproductive Recruitment systems with a future likelihood vulnerabilities, which may posed severe consequences on the state, businesses and individual citizens.”

His comments come at a time when the Minority in Parliament has petitioned the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) to investigate alleged recruitment by the government into the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS), Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS), Ghana Police Service (GPS), Ghana Prisons Service and the Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC).

Ahead of the crucial 2024 General Elections, the NDC Minority recently blew the alarm on the sharing of slots to NPP MP’s and Parliamentary Candidates across the country to facilitate the recruitment of NPP thugs into our security services.

The NDC Minority say they remain resolute and vigilant and will employ every legitimate means to stop this secret, illegal, and unfair recruitment.

Portions of their petition read “Furthermore, it is our considered view that, as administrative organs of the State and being part of the Public Services of Ghana as stated under Article 190 (1)(a)(b) of the Constitution, any recruitment exercise carried out by the GIS,GNFS,GPS, Prisons and NACOC must meet the constitutional and statutory thresholds, to wit, adherence to a balanced structuring, equal access (equal opportunity to all) and fair administration in relation to recruitments into the above-mentioned administrative organs of State/Public Services.

“Besides, it is our contention that, the intended and purported recruitments by the GIS, GNFS, GPS, Prisons and NACOC violate Articles 23 and 296(a) (b) of the Constitution and same amount to a flagrant abuse of power, unfair and unreasonable treatment, and above all, arbitrary exercise of power by the above-mentioned public bodies and their officials responsible for the recruitment.

“We further contend that, the instant complaint invokes CHRAJ’s exclusive mandate as the Ombudsman, and hereby humbly petition that, in order to meet the constitutional and statutory threshold as alluded to above, the intended and purported recruitments by the GPS, GIS, GNFS, Prisons and NACOC, be investigated by CHRAJ to ascertain the extent of transparency of the recruitments.”

Read the full petition here

This comes despite an earlier assurance by the Interior Minister Henry Quarye that there is no new recruitment into the security agencies.

Mr Henry Quartey had said the security and intelligence agencies have not started new recruitment into the security service.

What is currently happening is that applicants who have already bought the forms are the ones being engaged at the moment to ascertain their eligibility or otherwise.

Mr Quartey said these after refuting allegations by the Minority in Parliament that the Ministry is secretly recruiting into the security services.

For the record, he said, the Ministry for the Interior does not do recruitment. It is the security and intelligence agencies themselves that do that, he said.

The Minority had threatened to summon Mr Quartey to the house following reports of recruitment of 11,000 personnel into the security service.

But addressing the press in parliament on Tuesday, July 16, he said “are we saying that we continue to advertise and sell forms to the youth of this country knowing that the number of people that will be eligible may not even be 2000 and we continue to sell forms to the.

“This is why we are saying that let us give the opportunity to those who have these forms so that they can go through the process as Ghanaians, if they are able to meet the eligibility criteria then they are recruited.”

He added “So our position is to say clearly that we have not started recruitment. I have heard a lot of things out there but for the record, the Ministry of the Interior does not do recruitment, we are policy drivers.

“It is the security and intelligence agencies that do the recruitment and they have criteria for people to meet and the number of people they need, then the Ministry of Finance will give the approval. Once that approval is given they go through the process and then they engage.”

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