Only 1,000 candidates will be enlisted into the Ghana Immigration Service from the more than 180,000 young people who submitted applications in the latest recruitment drive, Interior Minister Mubarak Mohammed Muntaka has disclosed.
Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, March 11, to address concerns about recruitment into Ghana’s security agencies, the minister said the huge number of applicants highlights the increasing pressure for employment opportunities among the country’s youth.
He explained that although tens of thousands expressed interest in joining the Immigration Service, the organisation’s current facilities and logistical resources restrict the number of people it can recruit.
According to him, the entire workforce of the Ghana Immigration Service — from the Comptroller General to the most junior officer — is about 18,300 personnel.
“More than 180,000 young people applied to join the Ghana Immigration Service, yet the Service’s total staff strength is only around 18,300, which is less than 20,000,” he said.
Mr. Muntaka added that due to limited training and accommodation capacity, the Service can only absorb about 1,000 recruits in the current intake.
“Unfortunately, because of limited physical space, we are only able to take in 1,000 people,” he explained.
The minister noted that the situation reflects the stiff competition for roles within the security services and also underscores the wider issue of unemployment among Ghana’s expanding youth population.