Evening Tribune calls for clarity as former MP says he presented 30 letters on behalf of President Mahama; demands merit-based security recruitment.
Story: Seth Addi
The Evening Tribune has raised serious concerns over a recent social media post by former Member of Parliament for the Damongo Constituency, Hon. Adam Mutawakilu, announcing the distribution of appointment letters to young people selected for admission into the Ghana Police Academy.
According to the former MP in a Facebook post sighted by the Evening Tribune, he had the honour of distributing 30 appointment letters to beneficiaries from the Damongo Constituency on behalf of President John Dramani Mahama.
He indicated that 20 of the beneficiaries were from Damongo, while 10 were from Busunu, and congratulated them on their selection while wishing them success in their journey of national service.
While congratulating the successful applicants, the Evening Tribune believes the circumstances surrounding the political presentation of appointment letters to recruits into a national security institution deserve urgent public scrutiny and clarification.
WHO SHOULD PRESENT SECURITY APPOINTMENTS?
The newspaper is particularly concerned about the precedent created when a former political officeholder publicly presents appointment letters to recruits into the security services and attributes the exercise directly to the President.
The issue raises important questions about the independence, transparency and credibility of recruitment into Ghana’s security agencies.
For years, citizens have expressed concerns about the need for recruitment into the Police Service and other security institutions to be based strictly on merit, competence, transparent procedures and equal opportunity, rather than political connections, social status or constituency considerations.
The Evening Tribune therefore believes that every aspect of the recruitment process must be sufficiently transparent to assure the public that successful applicants were selected through established and objective procedures.
POLITICS AND SECURITY RECRUITMENT
The newspaper is not questioning the qualifications or competence of the young people who have reportedly been selected. Neither is it suggesting that their selection was politically influenced.
Rather, the concern is about the appearance and perception created when political actors become publicly associated with the distribution of appointment letters for security-service recruitment.
Security institutions occupy a unique position in the governance of the country. Their personnel are expected to serve the Republic and its citizens without political bias.
Consequently, the recruitment process must inspire confidence among all Ghanaians, regardless of their political affiliation, constituency or social background.
CALL ON PRESIDENT MAHAMA
The Evening Tribune therefore calls on President John Dramani Mahama to take a critical look at the development and, where necessary, provide clarification on the proper procedure for the presentation and distribution of appointment letters to new recruits into the security services.
The newspaper also urges the relevant security-service authorities to ensure that recruitment remains transparent, merit-based and free from political considerations.
Ghana’s democracy and national security institutions can only become stronger when citizens have confidence that opportunities within the security services are available to all qualified Ghanaians on an equal basis.
The Evening Tribune maintains that political leaders may celebrate the success of constituents, but the recruitment process itself must remain above partisan politics.
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