The Ashanti Regional Post Office at Adum turned into a sea of desperate youth on Tuesday morning as hundreds, some arriving as early as 4:00 a.m., fought to buy application forms for the ongoing 2025 security services recruitment.
Long queues stretched from the main entrance, wound around the building, and spilled onto the busy Adum streets, with applicants from as far as Manso, Amansie, Adansi, and even Bawku in the Upper East Region camping overnight to beat the rush.
Many clutched every cedi they had, determined to secure the GH¢220 e-voucher needed for the Police, Immigration, Fire, or Prisons Service — one of the few guaranteed pathways to stable employment in a region battered by youth unemployment.
Ashanti Regional Head of Ghana Post, Emmanuel Duodu, confirmed that over 620 forms were sold on Monday alone and warned of imminent shortages at the regional office.
“My checks show that post offices at Santasi, Suame, and Bantama are completely empty of applicants. I urge people to go there instead of crowding here,” he pleaded.
He stressed that all Ghana Post branches nationwide sell the exact same genuine vouchers — there is no advantage to queuing at the regional headquarters.
Despite the nationwide announcement that the process is fully digital via 71303# or GCB Bank, thousands across the country still believe physical presence at post offices is mandatory, leading to near-stampede conditions in Kumasi, Tamale, Takoradi, and beyond.
Frustrated applicants who spoke to news reporters lamented spending hours in line only to be turned away when stocks ran low. Some parents who accompanied their children called the scenes “heartbreaking” but understandable given the scarcity of jobs.
Authorities are now ramping up public education and urging calm, reminding the public that the official application window runs until 19 December 2025 — there is no need to rush in dangerous crowds.
As the sun rose over Adum, one thing was clear: for thousands of Ashanti youth, joining the security services is no longer just a career choice.
