The Ghanaian Immigration Service (GIS) has barred candidates with stretch marks and bleached skin from its ongoing recruitment exercise.
According to the BBC, quoting an official of the government agency, such candidates were at a high risk of bleeding during “strenuous” exercise that training for the job requires.
Also barred from the training were candidates with tattoos, dreadlocks and “bow legs”.
Many commentators have described the ban as discriminatory, as candidates must undergo a medical and a full body check as part of the GIS recruitment process.
At least 84,000 candidates applied for the 500 jobs on offer with the agency.
Each candidate was made to pay a 50 cedis (app. N4,000) fee for application form, which a local legislator condemned, urging unselected candidates to approach a court to recover the sum.