Security analyst calls for probe into forged certificates used by applicants for recruitment into security services

The Jatikay Centre for Human Security and Peace Building has called for an urgent audit of Ghana’s security-service recruitment and vetting processes following the dismissal of recruits allegedly found to have submitted forged or doctored WASSCE results.

In a statement signed by its Executive Director, Adib Saani, the Centre welcomed the removal of recruits whose credentials were proven fraudulent but said dismissal alone was insufficient.

How the scandal unfolded

Interior Minister Mubarak Mohammed Muntaka disclosed on September 9, during the commissioning of classroom facilities at the Roman Catholic School in Asokore Mampong in the Ashanti Region, that several recruits had been dismissed from training institutions after their WASSCE results were verified by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and found to be forged or doctored.

“What is shocking is that a lot of people forged their results. I don’t know how they thought they would be recruited into the police, prisons, immigration, fire service, Narcotics Control Commission, or the armed forces, and your certificate will not be verified,” Muntaka said.

He added: “As we speak, a lot of them have been dismissed from training for tampering with their results slips.”

The affected individuals will be placed on a security services “red list,” permanently barring them from future applications to any security agency. The Minister also indicated that some offenders may face prosecution.

Jatikay questions systemic failures

The Centre questioned how applicants with allegedly fraudulent documents were able to progress through the recruitment process and reach training institutions. It urged authorities to introduce early verification of academic credentials with WAEC before applicants advance to subsequent stages.

The Centre also called for a full investigation into the cases and prosecution where criminal wrongdoing is established. It warned that individuals willing to falsify their qualifications to enter security institutions could pose broader risks to national security, given the access officers receive to weapons, intelligence, restricted facilities and sensitive information.

Jatikay urged authorities to disclose how many fraudulent applications were detected, how many applicants bypassed existing controls, how many remain in training, and what safeguards will be introduced to prevent similar incidents.

“Verify before you recruit; vet before you train; prosecute proven fraud,” the Centre stated, stressing that “the integrity of our Republic’s security begins with the integrity of the people we recruit to protect it.”

A recruitment exercise under scrutiny

The scandal unfolds against the backdrop of Ghana’s largest security sector recruitment drive in recent years. The government initially planned to recruit 20,000 personnel, later increased to 40,000, to be phased in over four years.

In August 2026, the Interior Ministry confirmed that the first batch of 10,000 successful applicants had begun training across the Ghana Police Service, Ghana National Fire Service, Prisons Service, and Immigration Service. About 1,300 applicants were disqualified after testing positive for HIV, while more than 6,000 failed medical examinations due to drug-related findings.

Approximately 500,000 people submitted applications, with 105,000 progressing to the medical examination stage. However, the government said only about 5,000 could ultimately be recruited. The opposition criticised the exercise as a “ponzi scheme,” demanding a refund of the GH¢113 million in application fees collected from applicants who did not advance to the medical stage.

Teacher unions demand apology

Meanwhile, three teacher unions—the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), and the Ghana Pre-School Teachers Association (PRETAG)—have demanded an apology from Minister Muntaka over comments they described as disparaging to teachers.

Muntaka reportedly said that while WASSCE result forgery might be “forgivable” if it occurred within the Ghana Education Service and among teachers, it should not happen among security service applicants.

In a joint statement, the unions described the Minister’s remarks as “unfortunate, offensive, misleading, malicious, denigrating and irresponsible,” arguing that they unfairly linked certificate forgery to the GES and the teaching profession. The unions noted that entry into the education service requires rigorous checks, including relevant academic qualifications, proof of national service completion, a valid National Teaching Council licence, a Ghana Card, and a certificate audit at the awarding institution.

“If you can read this, thank a teacher! Teachers deserve praise, not vilification,” the unions stated.