Afenyo-Markin Dismisses Recruitment Expansion as Failing to Address Fundamental Concerns | Discuss Ghana

On Tuesday, March 17, 2026, Minority Leader Hon. Alexander Afenyo-Markin reacted to President John Dramani Mahama’s directive to double security recruitment slots to 40,000, stating that the move "still doesn't address the fundamental concerns" raised by the Minority Caucus.

Speaking to journalists in Parliament, Afenyo-Markin argued that increasing the number of recruits is a "diversionary tactic" that ignores the structural flaws and transparency issues plaguing the current exercise.

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The Unaddressed "Fundamental Concerns"

The Minority Leader outlined three core issues that the expansion fails to resolve:

The "AI Filter" Problem: Afenyo-Markin reiterated his call to scrap the AI-based aptitude tests, which he claims have unfairly disqualified thousands of qualified youth, particularly those from rural areas with limited digital access.

Financial Exploitation: He noted that doubling the slots does not justify the GH¢113 million already collected from over 500,000 applicants, many of whom paid GH¢220 only to be disqualified by "technical glitches".

Lack of Verifiable Data: The Minority remains skeptical of the "40,000" figure, labeling it as "political spin" intended to calm the anger of the half-million young Ghanaians who feel exploited by the process.

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Demand for an Independent Probe

Afenyo-Markin insisted that rather than expanding a "broken system," the government must first subject the current process to a thorough investigation:

Suspension of Exercise: The Minority continues to demand an immediate halt to the recruitment until an independent audit is conducted.

Refunds: They maintain that the GH¢113 million collected from disqualified applicants must be refunded in full, regardless of the new recruitment targets.

Summoning Ministers: The Minority Leader has formally requested that the Minister for the Interior and the Minister for Finance appear before Parliament to provide a detailed breakdown of how the 40,000 slots will be funded and allocated.

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Majority Response: "Fair Opportunity"

In contrast, Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga defended the expansion on Monday, March 16, calling it a "fair opportunity" that allows more youth to serve the nation. He dismissed the Minority's concerns as "purely partisan," arguing that the NDC administration is simply trying to fix a decades-old employment deficit.

Read also: President Mahama Doubles Security Recruitment Target to 40,000