The Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) has commenced a thorough effort to restore credibility to its enlistment and recruitment processes, following alarming revelations of large-scale irregularities under the previous administration.
Minister for Defence, Dr. Edward Kofi Omane Boamah, made the disclosures on Monday, July 21, 2025, during the Government Accountability Series held at the Jubilee House.
He stated that an internal audit by the Military High Command uncovered significant breaches in the 2024 officer cadet enlistment for the Ghana Military Academy.
According to Dr. Boamah, the investigation revealed that 210 out of 452 prospective officer cadets failed to meet the basic eligibility criteria.
“452 Ghana Military Academy hopefuls were investigated. Sadly, the outcome of the investigation and audit revealed that 210 out of 452 (46%) did not meet the eligibility test,” he revealed.
Dr. Boamah further explained that among the current intake of Regular Career Course (RCC) 64 cadets undergoing training, 34 individuals were found to have bypassed one or more mandatory stages of the recruitment process. While describing it as painful to discharge them after almost a year of training, he said they will be given a final opportunity to regularize their status.
“Twelve months! Sending 34 well-trained, energetic youth who had endured military training home can have severe consequences. So, they have been directed to fulfil all criteria. However, if they fail to meet these requirements, they would be released from training,” the Minister stressed.
In the case of RCC 65 and Short Service Course (SSC) 62 candidates who had not yet reported for training, Dr. Boamah disclosed that they had been removed from the process entirely.
Over 2,800 Recruits Abandoned by Previous Administration
Dr. Boamah also highlighted another disturbing development: over 2,800 qualified recruits were abandoned after completing all enlistment procedures.
He said: “The audit has revealed that 2,872 Army potential recruits, who successfully completed all required processes, including documentation, medical examinations, and vetting, are yet to undergo training.”
Despite being cleared for training, the affected recruits were never called up under the previous administration. Dr. Boamah expressed deep concern over the 17-month dormancy of the Army Recruits Training School (ARTS), which has the capacity to train about 3,000 personnel each year.
“My visit to the Army Recruits Training School just last week disclosed the fact that ARTS has not been training recruits over the past 17 months,” he revealed.
He warned that some of the recruits might no longer be eligible due to age or health changes.
“Even healthy people die during military training. How can we rely on laboratory tests conducted years ago or body selection and fitness tests done years ago to inform recruitment decisions?” he queried.
However, he encouraged those affected to reapply if they still meet the necessary criteria, assuring them that new recruitment efforts would be based on merit and specific qualifications aligned with national goals.
12,000 New Recruits Targeted Over Next 3.5 Years
Dr. Boamah announced a renewed recruitment drive that aims to increase GAF manpower by 12,000 over the next three and a half years. Future enlistments, he said, will focus on filling technical and specialized roles to support the military’s contributions to industrialisation and food security.
He stressed that recruitment under President John Dramani Mahama’s administration will be strictly merit-based, warning the public not to fall prey to recruitment fraud.
“Joining the Ghana Armed Forces under President Mahama will be based solely on merit, not money. That era is over,” he declared.
Dr. Boamah reaffirmed the government’s commitment to making the Ghana Armed Forces a model of excellence, integrity, opportunity, and national unity.
