Wages and Working Conditions of Private Security Workers in Ghana

Wages and Working Conditions of Private Security Workers
As the public provision of security dwindles, the importance of private
security provision grows in the Ghanaian economy. Therefore, until the gap
between the population’s need for security and the ability of state institutions
to provide it narrows, wealthier citizens and businesses would continue to
turn to the private sector. The resort to private security to cater for the
security needs of citizens imply that people who are not in the position
to pay are denied the security they are entitled to. It actually amounts to
privatising a common good.
However, as private demand for security services rise and as private security
companies grow in number, private security companies and their workers
assume a critical role not only in national security but more importantly
in national development. They can make important contributions to the
security of citizens if they recruit carefully and train their workers well. Equally
important is the need to ensure that workers are adequately compensated.
Private security workers may be enticed by the wealth they protect if they
are not well-trained and well-paid.
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