The first batch of 10,000 successful applicants to Ghana’s security services has commenced training, with another 10,000 slated for next year, Interior Minister Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak has announced.
The recruits, drawn from the Police Service, Ghana National Fire Service, Prisons Service, and Ghana Immigration Service (GIS), are currently undergoing initial training, the Minister disclosed on Monday during the Government Accountability Series in Accra.
“Another 10,000 are set for training next year to be drawn from the current pool of successful applicants,” he told the gathering.
The announcement comes amid revelations that about 1,300 applicants tested positive for HIV during mandatory medical screening in the recent recruitment exercise.
Speaking before Parliament’s Assurances Committee on July 6, 2026, Mr. Muntaka explained that the medical examination is a standard component of the recruitment process to assess the health and fitness of prospective officers.
The Minister, however, clarified that applicants disqualified on medical grounds are not informed directly of the specific reasons for their disqualification, a measure he said was designed to prevent emotional distress, particularly in sensitive cases such as HIV-positive results.
“In the recent recruitment, we have about 1,300 or so who were HIV-positive, and they said, ‘Can you imagine sending somebody the results that you have HIV?’ I mean, that’s not the procedure. The person has to go through some orientation,” he stated.
According to the Minister, disqualified applicants are instead provided with contact details to enable them to seek further clarification should they wish to understand the reason for their exclusion.
“One of the things we did was that when you get disqualified, you are given a contact to reach out to. If you are interested in knowing the details, then when you call, they assist you and let you know,” he explained.
Mr. Muntaka emphasised that many medical conditions detected during screening are treatable, making counselling and appropriate medical care essential.
“Interestingly, some of the things that we realise are treatable, so people need to know and then also get treatment so that in subsequent recruitments they could join,” he added.
