MP for Wa West and Member of the Defense and Interior Committee, Peter Toobu has defended recruitment criteria for the security agencies.
He explained that these criteria are a reflection of Ghanaian society and must be upheld.
According to him, because there is no specialised recruitment process they all follow the general rule of enlistment into the service.
Peter Toobu explained that in terms of scars most general recruits wear a uniform for about two or more hours and if you do this with a scar it will turn into a wound.
He noted that there would be a time that people with scars, dreadlocks, and piercings will be allowed to work for the security agencies if they start the specialised recruitments.
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Meanwhile, pressure group, FixTheCountry, has announced plans to sue the state over aspects of the selection and disqualification criteria for recruitment into the security services.
At the recent mass recruitment process into the police, prisons, immigration, Fire Service and military, thousands of young and eager Ghanaians were disqualified for not meeting a host of selection criteria.
Apart from the chaotic nature of the selection process, many young men and women shed emotional tears on live TV following their disqualification for not meeting one or more of the selection criteria.
There are selection criteria based on education and age, but the critical criteria for selection/disqualification include the following:
Height: 5.8ft (men) or 5.4ft (women);
Tatoos: There must be no tatoos on your body;
Scars: Surgical or big injury scars will disqualify you;
Stretch marks: Excessive stretch marks are not allowed;
Flatfoot: Flatfooted persons are disqualified;
Piercings: No piercings for men. Women must not have more than two piercings – one on each ear;
Dreadlocks: No dreadlocks for both men or women.
Many have kicked against these criteria as unconstitutional and limiting the opportunity of abled youths to serve the country.
For centuries this has been the status quo, however, FixTheCountry movement wants to change it.
“If you or anybody you know was disqualified for whatever reason during the recent security sector recruitments, kindly send an email to legal@ghfixthecountry.org
“We want to sue the Government on your behalf. You are not alone. We wat to build a class action lawsuit against the State. Please share this widely. We need as many plaintiffs as possible. Not every injustice should be just talk!” Convener, Oliver Barker-Vormawor posted on Facebook.
He told Prime News on Friday, October 29, 2021, that this will be the first time a class action is being built openly like is done in the United States of America.
“This is a true class action in the sense that the members of the affected class are being recruited through a notice to the Public; and members of the class did not go to the lawyers themselves,” he explained further.