Only 1,000 applicants will be recruited into the Ghana Immigration Service out of more than 180,000 young people who applied during the recent recruitment exercise, according to the Minister for the Interior, Mubarak Mohammed Muntaka.

Addressing a press briefing on Wednesday, March 11, to clarify issues surrounding recruitment into the security agencies, Mr. Muntaka said the overwhelming number of applicants reflects the growing demand for employment among Ghana’s youth.

He explained that although thousands expressed interest in joining the Immigration Service, the institution’s current infrastructure and logistical capacity limit the number of recruits it can accommodate.

The total of over 180,000 young men wanted to join the Ghana Immigration Service. But the interesting thing is that today, the Ghana Immigration Service, the strength, from the Comptroller General to the last officer, stands at 18,300. Less than 20,000, yet you have 180,000 opting to join, he said.

Mr. Muntaka noted that the Service’s training and accommodation facilities can only cater for about 1,000 new recruits in the ongoing exercise.

Unfortunately, because of the physical space, we could only have space for 1,000, he stated.

The Interior Minister said the situation highlights the intense competition for positions within the security services and the broader challenge of job creation for the country’s growing youth population.