Bawumia’s claim about the number of Immigration Service staff completely false

On Friday, April 28 2023, Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia attended the passing out ceremony for the Narcotics Control Commission’s Cadet 7. The ceremony was held at the Ghana Immigration Training School in Assin Fosu in the Central Region.

The Vice-President took to Twitter to post about the event. He claimed that before the New Patriotic Party (NPP) assumed office in 2017, the Immigration Service had 2,850 officers.

Fact-Check Ghana has verified the Vice President’s claim and presents the results below.

Claim: “I noted that our Government has created many opportunities for the recruitment of personnel into the security services. As an example, when we assumed office in 2017, the Immigration Service had a total staff of 2,850 officers.”

Verdict: Completely False

Explanation: The Ghana Immigration Service indicated in its 2016 annual report that it had a total staff of 4,270. Out of this number, 471 were Senior Officers and 3,690 were Junior Officers.

“The total staff strength of the Ghana Immigration Service as of December 31, 2016, stood at Four Thousand, Two Hundred and Seventy (4,270), comprising Four Hundred and Seventy-One (471) Senior Officers, Three Thousand, Six Hundred and Ninety (3,690) Junior Officers and One Hundred and Nine (109) Auxiliary Staff,” the report signed by the Comptroller General, Kwame Asuah Takyi, said.

From the above, it is evident that the Ghana Immigration Service had more than 2,850 officers before the NPP government was sworn in on January 7, 2017. The Vice President’s claim is, therefore, completely false.