Security Service Recruitment: MP for Bimbilla Hints at the Cost of Medical Screening, Details
- The former Defence Minister of Ghana has opened up about the medical screening fee, sparking debate over its impact on aspiring security service applicants
- Comparing the supposed fee to that during the NPP administration, he emphasised that the hike is concerning and called for an immediate reduction to ease the burden
- President John Dramani Mahama has directed recruitment services to increase the security intake by 20,000, doubling the four-year plan and expanding opportunities nationwide
Dominic Aduna Nitiwul, the former Minister of Defence and current Member of Parliament (MP) for Bimbilla on the New Patriotic Party (NPP) ticket, has commented on the medical screening fee for security service applicants.
Source: UGC
In an interview with the media shared online on March 18, 2026, Nitiwul shared his concerns regarding reports that applicants may be required to pay around GH¢ 1,600 for the medical screening.
Nitiwul, who has been in parliament for over two decades, cautioned that if this figure is accurate, it represents a significant increase compared to previous costs.
“During our administration, the medical screening fee was about GH¢ 500. Today, I hear that the fee is about GH¢ 1,600, and these are the concerns we have,” he said.
He urged the government to consider reducing the fee back to GH¢ 500, or even lower if possible, to make the process more accessible for applicants.
“They have tripled the cost of doing medicals. The government can do more to reduce the fee from GH¢ 1,600 to GH¢ 500 or less,” Nitiwul added.
His comments have drawn attention to the financial burden on applicants and sparked discussions on the need for transparency and fairness in the recruitment process.
Below is the TikTok video in which he mentioned the supposed medical screening fee.
Government doubles security service intake
As part of a major move to strengthen national security, President John Dramani Mahama has ordered an immediate expansion of the ongoing security services recruitment exercise.
The directive increases the number of men and women to be enlisted across Ghana’s security agencies from 20,000 to 40,000 over four years.
The announcement followed a high-level meeting at the Presidency on Monday, March 16, 2026, attended by the heads of the nation’s security agencies, the Minister for the Interior, and the Acting Minister for Defence. According to a statement from the Presidency Communications Directorate, the President issued the directive after receiving a detailed briefing on the progress of the current recruitment process.
“Following a briefing on the process, the President has directed that the number of men and women to be recruited to the various security agencies should be increased from twenty thousand (20,000) to forty thousand (40,000) over a four-year period,” the statement read.
Read the Facebook details below.
Increase implications for 2025/2026 security service applicants
The expanded recruitment plan significantly alters the outlook for applicants, effectively quadrupling the annual intake over the next four years. With the new target of 40,000 recruits, the government aims to enrol an average of 10,000 personnel per year, double the 5,000 initially projected for the current exercise.
Despite the bold announcement, details regarding the distribution of recruits across different security agencies remain unspecified. Likewise, the timeline for implementing the expanded target beyond the four-year framework has not been clarified.
Key questions remain for applicants of the 2025/2026 exercise. The government has not confirmed whether the additional 20,000 slots will be limited to those who have already qualified for medical screening or if individuals who failed the aptitude test will also be offered a second chance.
The expansion is expected to have a wide-reaching impact on Ghana’s security architecture, potentially creating thousands of new employment opportunities and providing a broader pool of trained personnel for law enforcement, intelligence, and paramilitary agencies.
As applicants and the public await further details, the Presidency has promised updates on the recruitment schedule and agency allocation in the coming weeks.
Source: Facebook
Recruitment exercise: Armed forces rubbishes HIV claims
In January, YEN.com.gh reported that the Ghana Armed Forces refuted reports that approximately 60% of applicants in the ongoing military recruitment exercise tested positive for HIV.
The army labelled the reports as baseless and "fake news" in a statement on Facebook.
The military high command also expressed concern over the mischievous reports and said it was working to track down the individuals responsible for creating and spreading the misinformation.
Source: YEN.com.gh
