Sir Richie, host of As It Is in Ghana on Rainbow Radio 92.4FM UK, has sparked a heated debate by describing the sale of recruitment forms for Ghana’s security services as a “criminal enterprise”.
He argues that charging citizens for the opportunity to serve their country is nothing short of state-sponsored extortion.
The host argued that the practice of selling application forms must end immediately, calling it “unfortunate” that the state is profiting from citizens who are willing to sacrifice their lives to protect others.
Drawing a comparison to international standards, he noted that in the UK, individuals are actively encouraged to join security services without paying a single penny.
The outcry follows the recent announcement that only 5,000 slots are available, despite the government selling over 500,000 forms for various security agencies. Sir Richie called on the government to immediately refund all disqualified applicants.
Sir Richie did not mince words regarding the ethics of the recruitment process:
“The sale of these forms is thievery—the highest form of stealing and corruption—and it must be stopped immediately. The strength of every country lies in its security services. This is shameful, disgraceful, and an indictment of us. Nowhere else in the world do security services take money from citizens who desire to serve. You cannot tell me the finance minister lacks the budget to run a recruitment exercise. This is unfortunate and must end now.”
He further argued that even the limited 5,000 slots are compromised, suggesting that more than half will likely be reserved for “protocol” placements by chiefs, MPs, and influential politicians.
The host levelled sharp criticism at the current administration, warning that President John Dramani Mahama risks being remembered as “the worst Ghanaian President in history” if he fails to address this issue.
He pointed out the hypocrisy of the NDC, noting that while in opposition, the party slammed the previous government for the same practice, only to oversee an even worse situation once in power.
In light of these failures, Sir Richie called for the immediate resignation or dismissal of the interior minister, Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak.
“We glorify nonsense in this country, and that is why we keep extorting money from the Ghanaian people,” Sir Richie stated. “President Mahama has the opportunity to change these ridiculous practices. The country is financially sound; look at the massive corruption and theft captured annually in the Auditor-General’s reports. We have the resources, but our leaders are stealing them. We shouldn’t pamper our leaders anymore. Enough is enough. In developed nations, the welfare of the people is the priority. This time around, we are going boot-for-boot.”
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana