The Minister for the Interior, Mubarak Mohammed Muntaka, has disclosed that only 1,000 applicants will be recruited into the Ghana Immigration Service out of more than 180,000 young people who applied during the recent recruitment exercise.
Addressing a press briefing on Wednesday, 11 March, the minister said the overwhelming number of applicants highlights the increasing demand for employment among Ghana’s youth.
According to him, although thousands of young people expressed interest in joining the service, the institution’s current infrastructure and logistical capacity limit the number of recruits it can accommodate.
“The total of over 180,000 young men wanted to join the Ghana Immigration Service. But the interesting thing is that today, the Ghana Immigration Service, the strength, from the Comptroller General to the last officer, stands at 18,300—less than 20,000—yet you have 180,000 opting to join,” he said.
Muntaka explained that the service’s existing training and accommodation facilities can only support about 1,000 new recruits in the ongoing exercise.
“Unfortunately, because of the physical space, we could only have space for 1,000,” he stated.
The minister noted that the situation demonstrates the intense competition for positions within the security services and reflects the broader challenge of job creation for the country’s growing youth population.
He added that the government continues to explore ways to expand opportunities within the security services while addressing infrastructure constraints that limit recruitment capacity.
