The Institute of Economic Research and Public Policy (IERPP) has called for a sweeping overhaul of Ghana’s public sector recruitment system, urging authorities to adopt a merit-based, transparent, and fee-free model to restore credibility and fairness.

Addressing a press conference on Tuesday, March 17, 2026, under the theme “E-Merit Recruitment Saga: From Hope to Heartbreak,” a Director of IERPP, Dr Kwasi Nyame-Baafi, warned that Ghana’s labour market is showing signs of deep structural weakness despite marginal improvements in headline indicators.

He noted that although unemployment declined from 14.9 percent in 2023 to 13.6 percent in 2024, and further to 13.1 percent in the fourth quarter, underlying conditions remain troubling.

He explained that youth unemployment, he said, continues to rise, standing at 22.5 per cent for persons aged 15 to 35 and peaking at 32 per cent among those aged 15 to 24.

“Seven out of every 10 unemployed persons in Ghana are young people,” Dr Nyame-Baafi stated, adding that the situation is compounded by high levels of young people not in employment, education, or training (NEET).

He said NEET rates of 25.8 per cent for ages 15–24 and 22.4 percent for ages 15–35 reflect a generation increasingly disconnected from productive engagement.

He also highlighted disparities between urban and rural labour markets, noting that unemployment in urban centres stands at 15.9 percent, significantly higher than the 10.4 percent recorded in rural areas.

He attributed this to congestion and weak job absorption capacity in major growth hubs.

Against this backdrop, Dr Nyame-Baafi referenced the “Jobs for All” agenda advanced by the National Democratic Congress, which includes policies such as a 24-hour economy, a $10 billion “Big Push,” a $3 billion digital jobs programme, agro-industrial zones and youth enterprise initiatives.

While acknowledging the ambition of these proposals, he said their implementation has revealed significant gaps, particularly in recruitment into the security services.

He cited the recent security recruitment exercise as an example, describing it as a system that, although presented as inclusive and technology-driven, exposed infrastructure inequalities and systemic inefficiencies.

Internet-based testing, he argued, disadvantaged thousands of applicants due to uneven access to reliable connectivity.

According to reports, only about 20 percent of applicants were able to successfully complete the process, raising concerns about fairness and accessibility.

He questioned the financial structure underpinning the exercise. With over 500,000 applicants each paying GH¢220, the process generated an estimated GH¢110 million. However, only 5,000 individuals were recruited, representing a conversion rate of just one per cent.

“In effect, nearly half a million applicants contributed about GH¢108.9 million without securing employment. This translates to roughly GH¢22,000 collected per successful recruit. The question we must ask is whether this is a recruitment exercise or a revenue model,” he said.

He further situated the issue within the broader fiscal framework, noting that the Ministry of the Interior is projected to increase its Internally Generated Funds from GH¢678.3 million in 2024 to GH¢1.114 billion by 2026.

He warned that such high-volume, low-conversion recruitment models risk becoming tools for revenue mobilisation rather than genuine employment creation.

Dr Nyame-Baafi also raised governance concerns, questioning the centralisation of recruitment at the ministerial level instead of allowing security agencies to lead.

He pointed to inconsistencies in eligibility expansion, limited financial clearance relative to reported vacancies, and the imposition of non-refundable fees despite extremely high rejection rates.

“These inconsistencies point to policy incoherence and weak institutional alignment,” he said.

The Institute is therefore calling for an independent investigation into the recruitment process, including financial flows, procurement arrangements, technological systems, and final selection outcomes.

AM

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