GAF to recruit 12,000 personnel over 3 years, slashes cost of forms by 40%
The Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) is set to undertake one of its largest recruitment drives in recent years, with plans to enlist 12,000 personnel over the next three years, Deputy Minister of Defence Brogya Genfi has announced.
The expansion, which begins this year, is aimed at strengthening Ghana’s defence capacity, enhancing peacekeeping commitments abroad, and tackling growing domestic security challenges such as illegal mining, maritime piracy, cybercrime, and cross-border threats in the sub-region.
Mr. Genfi revealed that the government has slashed the cost of recruitment forms by over 40% compared to previous years. He explained that the reduction aligns with President John Dramani Mahama’s pledge to make recruitment into the security services fair, transparent, and affordable.
“Recruitment into the Ghana Armed Forces is not for sale and will never be for sale under our Eagle eyes watch. Any syndicate involved in fraudulent recruitment schemes will be dealt with without mercy,” the Deputy Minister warned in a Facebook post.
He emphasized that no aspect of the recruitment process would take place on social media platforms. Instead, all guidelines on qualifications, procedures, and recruitment centers will be published through official channels, including the websites of the Ministry of Defence and the GAF, selected newspapers, and electronic media.
The Defence Ministry has indicated that recruitment will take place across all 16 regions of Ghana, ensuring inclusivity and addressing long-standing concerns over regional imbalances in military enlistment.
“All qualified applicants must be medically fit and prepared to embrace the discipline, sacrifice, and duty that come with military service,” Mr. Genfi added.
Ghana currently maintains an active military force of around 15,000–20,000 personnel, according to regional security estimates. With rising threats of violent extremism spilling over from the Sahel, piracy incidents in the Gulf of Guinea, and domestic security demands, experts have long called for an expansion of the Armed Forces.
The planned recruitment of 12,000 new soldiers, averaging 4,000 annually, will significantly boost troop strength and operational readiness. Analysts also note that it will provide employment opportunities for Ghanaian youth, particularly in regions with high unemployment.
Previous recruitment exercises have been marred by allegations of corruption, sale of fake enlistment letters, and political bias. The Defence Ministry insists that the new process will be conducted in a strictly professional and transparent manner, with merit and fitness as the only criteria.
Application procedures, timelines, and regional centers for the recruitment exercise are expected to be officially announced within the week.
The Ministry of Defence has urged interested applicants to rely solely on official GAF and government communication platforms to avoid falling victim to scams.
