The Jatikay Centre for Human Security and Peace Building has called for the prosecution of security service recruits found to have used forged or doctored WASSCE results to gain entry into training institutions.
The call follows a disclosure by Interior Minister Muntaka Mubarak that some recruits had been dismissed after their academic credentials were found to be fraudulent. The Centre welcomed the dismissals but said removing the affected recruits from training was not enough.
In a statement signed by its Executive Director, Adib Saani, the Centre questioned how applicants with fraudulent credentials were able to progress through the recruitment process and reach training institutions.
It argued that academic credentials should be verified with the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) at an early stage, before applicants are allowed to proceed further in the recruitment process.
“Recruitment cannot operate on a system where documents are accepted first and verified much later. In today’s digital environment, the recruitment portal should be designed to facilitate early verification of applicants’ academic credentials with WAEC before applicants are allowed to progress through the recruitment process.”
The Centre said the issue goes beyond recruitment procedures, particularly because qualified applicants could be left waiting while people who allegedly used fraudulent documents gain access to training.
It also urged authorities to treat the use of forged academic certificates as a potential criminal offence and prosecute those against whom evidence of wrongdoing is established.
“We therefore urge the appropriate authorities to investigate these cases fully and, where the evidence establishes criminal wrongdoing, prosecute the offenders.”
The Jatikay Centre said the matter has national security implications because security personnel have access to weapons, intelligence, restricted facilities and sensitive information.
“A person who is prepared to falsify his or her academic qualifications to enter a security institution may have an integrity problem that goes far beyond a certificate.”
The Centre is therefore calling for an urgent audit of the recruitment and vetting system to determine how many fraudulent applications were detected, how many applicants passed through the process and whether any remain in training.
The concerns come amid Ghana’s ongoing recruitment into the security services.
The first batch of 10,000 successful applicants began training in August 2026, with the recruitment exercise covering services including the Ghana Police Service, Ghana National Fire Service, Ghana Prisons Service and Ghana Immigration Service.
The Interior Ministry has previously said the recruitment process is being conducted through a centralised system designed to improve transparency, reduce human interference and ensure a fair and credible process.
The Jatikay Centre said its position is straightforward, “Verify before you recruit; Vet before you train; Prosecute proven fraud. And protect the integrity of Ghana’s security services.”
