Calls mount to raise Ghana Army recruitment age limit
Communications Minister Sam Nartey George has renewed calls for Ghana to raise the age limit for enlistment into the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF).
In a Facebook post, he argued that many Ghanaians in their thirties remain physically fit and mentally capable of serving, yet are excluded purely because of age.
According to him, this is unfair and robs the country of committed and capable citizens.
“I believe an upper limit of 35 years would serve our young people better. Let’s nurture their dreams and not kill it,” he wrote.
His proposal has received backing from Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor, Member of Parliament for South Dayi, who has also questioned the strict age restrictions.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Mr. Dafeamekpor stated that several party foot soldiers had raised concerns about how the policy excludes them.
He further presented international comparisons to show that Ghana’s limit is among the most restrictive.
He noted that countries such as Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, and Togo allow enlistment up to 35 years, while Kenya permits recruitment into some roles until 39.
Tanzania stands out with limits as high as 62.
In Europe, the United Kingdom allows regular soldiers to enlist up to 36 years and reservists up to 42, while Germany’s general maximum is reported at 50.
Other countries, including Australia, also have much higher thresholds depending on the role.
Based on these findings, Mr. Dafeamekpor suggested that Ghana could safely raise its maximum to 35 or even 40 years, particularly for medically fit individuals or non-combatant positions.
Currently, GAF’s guidelines for the 2025 enlistment exercise set the maximum age at 25 years for non-tradesmen and 27 years for tradesmen.
Applicants must also be Ghanaian by birth, unmarried, medically fit by GAF’s standards, and hold the required BECE and WASSCE credits.
Meanwhile, the Ghana Armed Forces has announced that the 2025 enlistment and recruitment exercise will soon open across all 16 regional capitals.