THE Minority Caucus in Parliament has demanded a refund of the GH¢ 220 application fees for disqualified applicants in the ongoing security services recruitment exercise and called for an independent bipartisan parliamentary probe into the process.

Speaking at a press conference yesterday, the MP for Assin South, Rev. John Ntim Fordjour, described the exercise by the Ministry of Interior as a “ponzi scheme crafted to defraud over 500,000 unemployed Ghanaian youth.”

He criticised the government’s plan to recruit only 5,000 personnel while allowing over 500,000 applicants to participate, as confirmed by the Minister of Interior, Alhaji Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak.

Rev. Fordjour said the process placed a heavy financial burden on candidates, generating GH¢ 111.32 million from application fees.

He further noted that the internet-based aptitude test was plagued with technical challenges that disqualified many candidates unfairly due to connectivity issues and strict timing limits.

He added that affected youth feel misled, exploited, and abandoned, and argued that the recruitment cannot be considered merit-based.

He also rejected the Minister’s claim that the security services already have sufficient personnel, urging the government to address systemic issues.

Alhaji Mohammed-Mubarak, during a press briefing on Wednesday, confirmed that the government could only recruit 5,000 personnel in 2025 but assured disqualified candidates of another opportunity in 2026.

The Minority Caucus is pressing for swift action to refund applicants, investigate irregularities, and ensure a transparent, merit-based recruitment process, to protect Ghanaian youth and restore public confidence.