Bawku youth will not be the only people to join police service – IGP clarifies recruitment comment

The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Christian Tetteh Yohuno has clarified his comment about police recruitment for Bawku youth.

Speaking during a visit to Bawku on Friday April 11, IGP Yohuno while urging the youth of Bawku to lay down their arms for peace to prevail in the enclave, assured that the Service would prioritise them during recruitment into the Service.

He said a special recruitment team would be deployed to the region to provide opportunities specifically for its youth.

“When it comes to recruitment, we will give the people of Bawku priority. We will give the youth of Bawku priority, and so for that matter, a special team will come here to do special recruitment for the youth of Bawku,” he stated.

However, the IGP has received backlash from the Minority caucus in Parliament after his comment.

The Minority at a press conference in Parliament shortly after the IGP’s statement criticised the IGP for claiming that the youth of Bawku will be prioritized in recruitment process.

“The comment of the IGP — this is purported to be his major public statement ever since he was appointed. And maybe he made that statement just on the spur of the moment, but it is clearly an unfortunate statement.

“It is most unfortunate to say that if you lay down your arms, you’ll be considered for recruitment. It is out of place. If any other person said this, yes, we may not attach seriousness. But coming from the IGP — and the ramifications of that statement — it is critical,” Minority Chief Whip, Frank Annoh-Dompreh said.

But Christian Tetteh Yohuno has explained his comment. He noted that some media reports misquoted his statement and did not portray exactly what he meant.

According to him, the youth of Bawku will go through the required normal process of recruitment, stating that the recruitment will not only be centered in the big cities.

He stressed that his comment was to the effect that recruitment will be made available to persons in remote areas in order to give fair opportunity to all Ghanaians.

“The youth have put down their weapons and they are ready to receive developers. The assurance we gave them is that put down your weapons and when it comes to recruitments, we will give you the advantage to participate, go through the normal process.

“I didn’t say anything wider to show the requirement but it looks as if the media is publishing something quite different.

“They will go through the normal process and then instead of centralizing recruitments in Accra and Kumasi or the big cities, we will make sure that recruitments now can go down to the remotest area of this country so that all these youth who qualify to join the Service irrespective of wherever you are in the country, you can also participate.

“That is what I wanted to say and that is exactly what is in mind and not to say they are the only people who can benefit in joining the security service,” IGP Yohuno clarified.

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