Radio Shepherd

Some One Thousand and Two Hundred (1,200) people are to be recruited into the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) this year, Minister of Defense, Major-General Smith, told a half packed Parliament yesterday. His comments came after his outfit had successfully refurbished some housing units that were in a deplorable state for the military.

The recruitment exercise, which is the first since the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government assumed the reigns of power, received forty-six thousand, one hundred and twenty-four (46,124) applications. Out of this number, seven thousand, three hundred and fifty-seven (7,357) applications met the general eligibility and educational requirements.

The Defense Minister said the qualified applicants will soon be pruned down to one thousand and two hundred (1,200), after they had gone through various screening exercises on the basis of technical or trade qualifications.

“Madam Speaker, the candidates who will pass the regional exercise on the basis of technical or trade qualification will be called to Accra for trade tests from 8th to 19th March, 2010. The final list of all those who would pass, including the non-tradesmen, will be called for training after passing a medical examination. It is projected that for this year, 1,200 soldiers will be trained,” he told Members of Parliament (MPs) when he appeared in the House to answer questions pertaining to his Ministry.

The first batch of trainees, according to Major-General Smith, will undergo a medical examination between March 29th and April 30th 2010. The first batch of new recruits will be trained for five months, beginning July 1st 2010 to December 31st 2010. Training for the second batch of the new recruits is also expected to commence on January 6th 2010 to June 30th 2010.

Out of the projected figure, eight hundred (800) soldiers will be recruited into the Army, whilst the Navy and the Air Force will be boosted with two hundred (200) new recruits each respectively.

Recruitment into the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) became a topical issue in the country when the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), on assumption of office early last year, cancelled all recruitment exercise into the GAF and the Ghana Police Service done by its predecessor National Patriotic Party (NPP) administration, citing lack of logistical support and housing units to buttress the decision.

The hopes of thousands of applicants, whose applications were cancelled, were dashed as there was no assurance of recalling them. The Minister, in response to this, however, gave indication that there will be no consideration for the previous applicants as they can re-apply for recruitment in the next exercise.
Source: