Dr Aaron Kumah, a senior lecturer at the University of Skills Training and Entrepreneurial Development (USTED), has observed that the “mad rush” of youth seeking to join the security services highlights a deepening unemployment crisis.
According to Dr Kumah, there are two primary reasons behind the staggering sale of 556,000 recruitment forms.
He noted that the applicant pool consists of both those who are entirely unemployed and those currently employed but seeking better opportunities or higher-paying roles.
However, the lecturer clarified that the number of forms sold does not necessarily equal 556,000 unique individuals.
Many applicants purchased multiple forms to increase their chances across different branches of the security services.
“That means if at least one person bought four different forms, it means over 125,000 people may have purchased the forms, underscoring the need for us to address the rate of unemployment.” It is a major concern, and authorities must take immediate action.”
Speaking in a recent interview on Nyankonton Mu Nsem on Rainbow Radio 87.5FM, Dr Kumah argued that the government’s decision to extend the age limit for recruitment was a mistake, as it unnecessarily expanded the applicant pool. In his view, the standard age requirements used in previous exercises should have been maintained.
“I think this should serve as a lesson to the government. The expansion of the age limit was problematic. It was not a good idea. They should reverse the age expansion to its original state”, he added.
Dr Kumah emphasised that access to employment is both a human right and a matter of national security. He stressed that the government must address the root cause of the issue rather than just the symptoms.
“We have to accept that if Ghanaians had stable jobs, they would not be rushing to purchase forms to join the security services,” he concluded.
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
