The government has announced new developments in the recruitment process into the country’s internal security agencies, that is, the Ghana Police Service, Ghana National Fire Service, Ghana Prisons Service and the Ghana Customs. The recruitment, which is set to begin on Monday, November 17, will see prospective applicants automatically assigned to a screening centre.

The Minister for the Interior, Muntaka Mubarak, during a media address on Friday, November 14, explained that a new system “will automatically allocate applicants to screening centres and time slots….If you apply from Tamale, for example, and there are three centres… the system will automatically assign you to one of them and indicate whether you are scheduled for the morning or afternoon session.”

According to him, the new recruitment system will be a centralised, fully digital e-recruitment portal. It is designed to harmonise hiring across all security agencies under the Ministry of the Interior, eliminate paper-based processes, and allow applicants to complete the entire recruitment process using their mobile phones, either via the short code given by their outfit or via the portal.

“The application process will be fully online, utilising a secure portal capable of handling large volumes of applications efficiently. The portal is user-friendly and accessible on smartphones, tablets, and computers,” he noted.

This comes to replace an old system where the recruitment process was manual and decentralised. Applicants had to physically choose or travel to screening centres themselves, often leading to overcrowding, long queues, and even dangerous stampedes. Assignments were not automated; instead, they were managed by human administrators, with candidates sometimes directed to centres based on availability or their own preference.

The new system has become necessary following an unfortunate stampede that occurred at the El-Wak Stadium on Wednesday, November 12, during a Ghana Armed Forces recruitment exercise in Accra, leading to six fatalities and about twenty-four (24) people injured.

To prevent a recurrence, Mr Muntaka revealed that about 5-10 screening centres will be made available to avoid overcrowding.

“Multiple centres will be available for screening applicants. In areas where we expect very large numbers (for example, Accra), we are considering using 10 to 15 centres a day to prevent overcrowding. Centres will be strategically located nationwide to ensure accessibility and convenience.

“The exercise will be region-based, and depending on the numbers in each region, there may be 3, 4, 5, 10 or more centres operating simultaneously. Several phone numbers will be provided on the portal for assistance, available 24/7 for all services, Police, Fire Service, Immigration, and Prisons Service”.

He went on to explain that the screening centres will attend to 1000 applicants a day, with split times: five hundred in the morning and the other half in the afternoon. He warned that those who fail to adhere to their assigned screening times risk automatic disqualification.

“Every screening centre will not screen more than one thousand applicants a day. Even the one thousand will be split, 500 in the morning and 500 in the afternoon. If you are scheduled for the afternoon session and decide to come in the morning, that becomes grounds for disqualification because you are refusing to follow instructions,” he said.

He assured applicants that the newly launched centralised e-recruitment portal for security services is simple, accessible, and convenient, even for those with limited digital skills.

The portal covers recruitment for agencies under the Ministry of Interior, including the Ghana Police Service, Ghana Prisons Service, Ghana National Fire Service, and Ghana Immigration Service, as well as the Narcotics Control Commission, National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), and the Gaming Commission of Ghana.

Meanwhile, applicants who suffered injuries from the El-Wak stampede remain hospitalised at the 37 Military Hospital in Accra.

President Mahama visited the victims on the day of the incident and shared on his official X handle (formerly Twitter) to express his condolences to the families of the applicants who lost their lives in the stampede.

“He said, “I visited the 37 military hospital this afternoon to check on our young men and women who were injured earlier this morning following a stampede at the Elwak Stadium recruitment centre, where thousands of potential military recruits had gathered for a selection exercise”.

Also, the Vice President, Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, visited the victims on Saturday, November 15, accompanied by the Deputy Minister for Defence, Ernest Brogya Gyemfi, and the Chief of Defence Staff, Major General William Agyapong.

The Vice President spent time at the various wards, interacting with each of the injured and offering words of comfort. She assured them of the government's full support as they undergo treatment and recovery. Professor Opoku-Agyemang commended the medical personnel at the 37 Military Hospital for their swift intervention following the incident and the emergency staff for their professionalism and dedication.

“We are deeply grateful for the tireless work of the medical team. Their commitment at this very difficult moment has been truly commendable,” she said.

Earlier, the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, donated GH¢100,000 to support the medical treatment of victims injured in the El-Wak Sports Stadium stampede.

Mr Bagbin, who was with a delegation of Parliament, explained that the gesture is Parliament's way of showing solidarity with the affected families and helping ease their financial burdens.

He said the gesture was to help alleviate the financial burden on the victims and demonstrate Parliament’s solidarity with affected families.

The Speaker also expressed grave concern about the recurring challenges associated with public sector recruitment exercises, emphasising the need for urgent reforms to make the process safer and more efficient.