President John Dramani Mahama has announced plans to recruit approximately 40,000 young Ghanaians into the country’s security services between 2025 and 2028, as part of efforts to expand employment opportunities.
According to the President 12,000 people were recruited into the various security agencies in 2025 with additional recruitment exercises expected over the next three years to meet the government’s target.
President Mahama disclosed this during a ‘Town Hall’ meeting in Goaso, the Ahafo Regional capital, where he responded to questions from traditional authorities, opinion leaders and residents.
The Resetting Ghana Citizen Engagement forms part of President Mahama’s efforts to promote accountability by engaging citizens on the government’s performance and addressing their concerns.
The President said accountability was a fundamental principle of democracy, requiring elected governments to answer to the people who entrust them with power.
The engagements, he explained, also provide an avenue for citizens to express their grievances and draw the government’s attention to challenges facing their communities.
According to him, since assumption of office, the Ghana Armed Forces had recruited more than 5,000 personnel while the Ghana Police Service absorbed approximately 4,000 recruits.
The Ghana Immigration Service, Ghana Prisons Service and Ghana National Fire Service also recruited about 2,000 personnel according to the President.
He said the government intended to increase recruitment quotas across the security agencies from 2026 to 2028 to accommodate more qualified applicants.
“From 2025 to 2028 we will recruit about 40,000 youth in the security services, so those who could not get recruited may have the opportunity to be selected in the coming years,” he said.
The President encouraged unsuccessful applicants to take advantage of subsequent recruitment exercises, stressing that applicants must meet the prescribed qualifications and pass interviews and medical examinations.
CHIEFS TO GET GREATER REPRESENTATION
Responding to concerns raised by traditional leaders, President Mahama reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to strengthening the participation of chiefs in local governance.
He recalled his 2024 election campaign promise to review the powers of traditional authorities and provide them with a greater role in administering their communities.
According to Mr Mahama, the constitutional review process presents an opportunity to address concerns raised by traditional leaders.
He said he had engaged the National House of Chiefs and encouraged the institution to submit proposals to the constitutional review committee.
The President indicated that some proposals had been incorporated into recommendations being considered as part of the constitutional review process.
Among them was an expansion of representation within district assemblies to accommodate traditional authorities, young people, women and other interest groups.
He said the intention was to broaden participation in local governance and ensure chiefs had representation at the district level.
GOASO TO GET REGIONAL HOSPITAL
On healthcare infrastructure, President Mahama reiterated his government’s commitment to constructing regional hospitals in the six newly created regions, including Ahafo.
He announced that Goaso would benefit from a new regional hospital to improve access to specialised healthcare services.
The President explained that the proposed facility would complement the existing Goaso Hospital, which the government intended to renovate and maintain as a municipal hospital.
“We are going to construct a brand new hospital in Goaso,” he said, assuring residents that the existing facility had not been abandoned.
Responding to a request concerning an infectious disease centre, President Mahama said he would engage the Regional Minister to examine the matter.
THREE PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITALS PLANNED
The President also announced plans to construct three additional psychiatric hospitals to expand mental healthcare services across the country. He said the proposed facilities would be located in Kumasi, Tamale and the Volta Region.
According to him, the Kumasi facility would serve the middle belt, including Ashanti, Ahafo, Bono and Bono East, while the Tamale facility would cater for the northern part of the country.
The proposed hospital in the Volta Region would also improve access to specialised mental healthcare.
President Mahama further disclosed that the government had initiated measures to expand the training of specialised nurses, including those required for critical care, operating theatres and psychiatric services.
He explained that selected nursing training institutions would focus on producing professionals with specialised skills to address gaps in the healthcare system.
The President encouraged young people to take advantage of opportunities in specialised nursing, noting that trained professionals could secure employment both locally and internationally.
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