National Chairman of the National Democratic Congress, Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, has sparked public discussion after questioning the growing number of young Ghanaians seeking recruitment into the country’s security services.
Speaking on the issue, Asiedu Nketiah used a humorous analogy to highlight what he described as an imbalance in career aspirations among many young people. According to him, if the government were to recruit all the roughly 500,000 applicants who reportedly applied for positions in the Ghana Police Service, there would be a strange situation where there might be no criminals for the police to pursue.
He remarked that when children play games involving police and thieves, there must always be two sides. In his view, the idea that hundreds of thousands of people want to become police officers at the same time reflects a deeper concern about employment opportunities in the country.
The comment came after authorities revealed that about 500,000 people applied during the recent security services recruitment exercise. Out of this large number, around 105,000 applicants progressed to the medical screening stage, while only about 5,000 positions are expected to be available for final enlistment.
Asiedu Nketiah explained that the situation shows the intense competition for stable government jobs among the youth. He noted that while working in the security services is important, a country cannot function effectively if everyone seeks employment in the same sector.
He stressed that national development requires people to pursue careers across many fields including agriculture, business, education, technology and healthcare. According to him, economic growth depends on a balanced workforce where different professions contribute to the overall development of the country.
The NDC chairman also suggested that the best way to reduce crime is not simply by recruiting more police officers but by creating employment opportunities that allow citizens to be productively engaged.
His remarks have triggered debate among political observers and the public, with many discussing the broader issue of unemployment and the large number of young people seeking jobs in the security services.
