More than 6,000 applicants have been disqualified from Ghana’s ongoing security services recruitment exercise after failing medical screening tests that detected drug use and mental health-related conditions, the Interior Ministry has said.
The sector minister, Mubarak Mohammed Muntaka disclosed that over 100,000 applicants underwent medical examinations as part of the nationwide recruitment process into the security services.
He said the screening process was expanded beyond routine physical and laboratory checks to include drug testing and mental health assessments, following growing concerns about personnel welfare within the security agencies.
According to him, more than 4,000 applicants failed drug tests, while about 2,000 others were disqualified on mental health grounds.
“We have over 100,000 people who went through the medicals… over 4,000 people failed the drug test, and we have over 2,000 who also failed due to mental health conditions,” he said.
He added that the expanded screening regime was necessary to ensure only medically and psychologically fit candidates are enlisted into the security services.
The development highlights increasing scrutiny of recruitment standards within Ghana’s security agencies, where authorities have in recent years raised concerns about fitness, discipline and wellbeing among personnel.
Officials say the tighter checks are expected to strengthen the quality of future recruits and improve operational readiness across the services.