IGP Clarifies: Bawku recruits will follow standard procedure
The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Christian Tetteh Yohuno, has clarified his recent remarks suggesting that youth in Bawku would be given priority in police recruitment if they lay down their arms.
His clarification follows public backlash and media scrutiny after a video of his interaction with residents in Bawku began circulating online.
Addressing the media, the IGP explained that his comments were aimed at decentralising the recruitment process to ensure inclusivity, particularly for individuals in remote and conflict-affected areas.
According to Mr. Yohuno, he assured the youth of Bawku that they would be given the opportunity to apply to the Ghana Police Service, but stressed that all applicants would still be required to go through the standard recruitment procedures.
He firmly stated that his remarks were not intended to imply preferential treatment or a departure from established recruitment guidelines.
“Many times we have recruitment centralised at the national headquarters, and then we are not able to get the full benefit of a regional balance of people being recruited. I have seen that there is a desire to get the job done,” he said.
“I am giving them the assurance that they should put down their arms. We have a lot of people in the police service now who came from this area, and we realise that they have helped a lot in the discharge of their duties as officers.”
“The assurance we gave to them was that ‘put down your weapons, and when it comes to recruitment, we will give you the advantage to participate, go through the normal process.’ I didn’t say anything wider to maybe shove the requirement, but it looks as if the media is reporting something different; they will go through the normal process,” he added.
The IGP’s clarification seeks to address growing concerns that his initial statement could be misinterpreted as incentivising conflict or undermining the integrity of the police recruitment process.
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