NDC pushing to raise military recruitment age to enlist party foot soldiers – Rev. Ntim Fordjour alleges

The Ranking Member on Parliament’s Defence and Interior Committee and Member of Parliament for Assin South, Rev. John Ntim Fordjour, has urged the government to invest in the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) rather than raising the age limit for recruitment.

Speaking in an interview, Rev. Fordjour emphasized that priority should be given to equipping the military with adequate resources and logistics to enhance its operational effectiveness instead of altering recruitment requirements.

His comments come in response to recent calls by two Members of Parliament from the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), Sam George, MP for Ningo-Prampram and Minister for Communications, and Nelson Rockson Defeamekpor, MP for South Dayi, for the upper age limit for military recruitment to be raised from 27 to 35 years.

He noted that if the National Democratic Congress (NDC) wanted to make any meaningful contribution to the Ghana Armed Forces, it should focus on supporting, retooling, and resourcing the institution. According to him, that should be the main issue under discussion rather than a review of recruitment criteria.

Rev. Fordjour further stated that the Ghana Armed Forces did not need an adjustment to its age limit, but rather a release of much-needed resources. He explained that essential goods and services had not been adequately provided, leaving the military under-resourced and struggling to operate effectively.

He emphasized that the move by the NDC-led administration appeared to be an attempt to recruit party foot soldiers into the Ghana Armed Forces as a form of reward or political compensation, a practice he said inappropriate and should not be encouraged.

He maintained that instead of calling for an age review, MPs such as Sam George and Rockson-Nelson Defeamekpor should join efforts to advocate for more logistical and financial support for the Armed Forces.