The Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) is set to embark on one of its largest recruitment exercises in recent years, with plans to enlist 12,000 personnel over the next three years, Deputy Minister of Defence Brogya Genfi has confirmed.

The initiative, which begins this year, is designed to strengthen Ghana’s defence capacity, reinforce international peacekeeping commitments, and respond to rising domestic security challenges, including illegal mining, maritime piracy, cybercrime, and cross-border threats in the sub-region.

Mr Genfi announced that the government has reduced the cost of recruitment forms by more than 40% compared to previous years. He explained that this aligns with President John Dramani Mahama’s pledge to make enlistment into the security services fair, transparent, and affordable.

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“Recruitment into the Ghana Armed Forces is not for sale and will never be for sale under our watch. Any syndicate engaged in fraudulent recruitment schemes will be dealt with ruthlessly,” Mr Genfi cautioned in a Facebook post.

He stressed that the recruitment process will not take place on social media. Instead, official guidelines—including qualifications, procedures, and recruitment centres—will be published on the websites of the Ministry of Defence and the GAF, as well as through state-owned newspapers and electronic media outlets.

Recruitment will be conducted across all 16 regions, addressing concerns about regional imbalances and ensuring nationwide inclusivity. Applicants must meet medical fitness standards and demonstrate readiness for the discipline and sacrifice of military service.

Currently, Ghana’s armed forces are estimated at 15,000–20,000 active personnel. With rising threats such as extremism from the Sahel, piracy in the Gulf of Guinea, and increasing domestic security demands, experts have long called for an expansion of the military. The planned recruitment—averaging 4,000 personnel annually—will not only boost troop strength and operational readiness but also provide significant employment opportunities for Ghanaian youth.

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Past recruitment exercises have been tainted by allegations of corruption, sale of fake enlistment letters, and political interference. This year, the Defence Ministry has assured the public that the process will be strictly professional and merit-based.

Official Recruitment Notice

In a statement dated Monday, September 29, 2025, and signed by Captain Veronica Adzo Arhin, Acting Director General of Public Relations, the GAF confirmed that the 2025 recruitment exercise will take place in all regional capitals.

The Armed Forces warned the public against fraudulent recruitment links circulated on platforms such as WhatsApp, Facebook, and Instagram. It emphasised that no officer or High Command member issues personal invitations and that all official details will only be available on the websites gafonline.mil.gh and gafrecruitment.mil.gh, as well as in the Daily Graphic and Ghanaian Times.

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GAF further appealed to the public to support its efforts to protect the integrity of the exercise, reaffirming that transparency and fairness remain central to the process.

The annual recruitment drive is regarded as one of the most competitive entry points for young Ghanaians seeking a career in the military. Officials have urged prospective applicants to rely solely on official communication channels to avoid falling victim to scams.