The National Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, has announced plans to abolish the protocol system used in recruiting personnel into the security services and other public institutions.
He made the announcement while addressing party executives and supporters in Sekondi-Takoradi as part of his ongoing “Thank You Tour” of the Western Region, following the NDC’s victory in the 2024 general elections.
Speaking on the fourth day of the tour, which took him through the Effia, Kwesimintsim, Takoradi and Sekondi constituencies, Mr Asiedu Nketiah urged party members to recognise and reward dedication at the grassroots level.
He called on delegates to retain constituency executives who played key roles in the party’s electoral success, stressing the importance of discipline and commitment within the party.
“Those who worked hard and diligently should be retained, but those who did otherwise should not be entertained in the party,” he said.
Mr Asiedu Nketiah also reiterated that the protocol-based recruitment system into the security services would be completely scrapped, describing the practice as unfair and exclusionary.
According to him, the system was introduced under the New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration and allowed recruitment slots to be distributed among a few individuals without transparency.
“There should be no recruitment protocol for the security services at all. President Mahama has made a bold promise to abolish this system and open recruitment to all qualified Ghanaians,” he said, adding that even the limited recruitment quota currently reserved for Members of Parliament would be abolished.
He explained that the move forms part of President John Dramani Mahama’s broader commitment to merit-based recruitment, aimed at ensuring equal access to opportunities in public institutions without special privileges.
During the visit, traditional leaders in the area also raised development concerns, including the stalled Takoradi Market Circle redevelopment project.
The Chief of Takoradi, Nana Obo Kojo Atta IV, appealed for urgent government intervention to complete the project, noting that delays had severely affected market women, particularly those relocated from Jubilee Park.
He called for the swift completion of the market to allow traders to return to their original location and restore their livelihoods.
