The Minister for Defence, Dr Edward Omane Boamah, on Wednesday exposed what he suggested was John Ntim Fordjour’s limited understanding of military matters, particularly regarding the release of several senior officers from the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF), a matter the opposition MP has heavily politicised.
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) MP for Assin South, and Ranking Member of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Defence and Interior, had questioned the rationale behind the release of 15 Major Generals (two-star officers and equivalents) saying it was done to justify the appointment of a Brigadier General (one-star) as Acting Chief of Defence Staff.
Speaking in Parliament, however, Dr Omane Boamah argued that Mr Fordjour’s assertions were fundamentally flawed and risked misleading the public.
The NPP MP had demanded an explanation for what he described as the premature release of all fifteen Major Generals and equivalents in the GAF command structure following the elevation of a Brigadier General to the top military position.
Prior to bringing the matter to Parliament, Mr Fordjour had taken to various radio and television platforms, alleging political interference in the restructuring process. He accused President Mahama of making politically motivated decisions and even claimed that The Herald newspaper was working in concert with the President and Defence Minister to tarnish the image of the retired generals to justify their dismissal.
In a social media post, he expressed concern over the dismissal of the Chief of Defence Staff, all service chiefs, and twelve other senior officers of the rank of Major-General and above. He claimed many of these officers had up to six years left before retirement, and their removal would impose a significant financial burden on the state in the form of gratuities.
President Mahama announced the new appointments on Monday, 17 March 2025, as part of efforts to restructure and strengthen Ghana’s defence architecture. The changes took effect on 24 March 2025, with then-Brigadier General William Agyapong appointed Acting Chief of Defence Staff and Brigadier General Lawrence Kwaku Gbetanu as Acting Chief of Army Staff.
Other key appointments included Commodore Godwin Livinus Blessing as Acting Chief of Naval Staff, Air Commodore Eric Agyen-Frempong as Acting Chief of Air Staff, and Brigadier General Glover Ashong Annan as Acting Chief of Staff.
Mr Fordjour criticised the appointments, claiming that replacing experienced officers with lower-ranking Brigadier Generals weakened the military’s command structure. He argued that recent military expansions, including the upgrade of key units such as armour, artillery, signals, and engineering to brigade status, warranted a four-star General as Chief of Defence Staff. According to him, President Mahama’s decision reversed these advancements and was “backward, costly and far-fetched,” warning that it could negatively impact morale and operational efficiency.
“President Mahama has today dismissed the Chief of Defence Staff and all Service Chiefs in the Ghana Armed Forces, as well as all 12 most senior military officers of the rank of Major-General equivalent and above (i.e., all two-star, three-star and four-star Generals). Most of these Generals, by rank and age, have six more years to serve before retirement.
“What this implies for the public purse is that gratuities will have to be paid, running into millions of cedis, due to the egotistical and premature dismissal of senior-ranking Generals, who are now being replaced by Brigadier Generals and equivalents (one-star Generals) at the helm of the Ghana Armed Forces,” he stated.
However, addressing Parliament, and speaking within the constraints of confidentiality and national security, Dr Boamah focused on three key themes: the purpose of the GAF, precedent within the GAF, and the regulatory framework governing appointments and retirements.
“Mr Speaker, the Ghana Armed Forces is primarily tasked with protecting the territorial integrity of our nation and safeguarding lives and property. All decisions, including leadership changes, are guided by this overarching objective,” Dr Boamah stated.
He noted that following his appointment as Defence Minister by the President and Commander-in-Chief of the GAF, measures had been implemented to enhance service efficiency, underpinned by the goal of securing national sovereignty, democracy, and public safety.
In pursuit of these objectives, he said, the Ministry had considered the volatile and unpredictable nature of today’s global and regional security environment — including threats such as terrorism, piracy, cyberattacks, illegal mining, human trafficking, chieftaincy disputes, and border insecurity.
Dr Boamah also emphasised that the President’s actions aligned with historical precedent established under previous administrations in Ghana’s Fourth Republic. He gave names of the senior military officers who had gone through a similar process.
“Precedents from transitions under Presidents Rawlings, Kufuor, Mills, Mahama, and Akufo-Addo served as guidance. For instance, in 2001, following a change of government, six Major Generals and four Lieutenant Generals were released all below the compulsory retirement age of 63,” he said.
“In 2005, seven Major Generals. none of whom were near their mandatory retirement age, were all released. Similarly, in 2009, another set of six Major Generals were released and replaced, with a Brigadier General appointed as Chief of Defence Staff,” he added.
“In both 2017 and 2021, there were selective releases of Major Generals, some of whom had not yet reached their retirement age. Notably, in 2022, the number of two-star Generals increased significantly.”
Dr Boamah refuted Mr Fordjour’s claim that all 15 Major Generals were terminated, calling it inaccurate.
“Mr Speaker, the Honourable Member for Assin South got his facts wrong. If not corrected, his statements risk misleading the public. The facts are as follows: Eight Major Generals have reached the point to commence their terminal leave ahead of mandatory retirement. Four others, aged between 60 and 62, are to be released before the age of 63, in line with GAF regulations and established norms.”
He further disclosed that Major General Irvin Nii-Ayittey Aryeetey, one of the eight, is being sponsored at the rank of Lieutenant General to compete for the position of Military Adviser to the United Nations’ Department of Peace Operations in New York.
In total, twelve Major Generals, eight due for terminal leave and four approaching retirement, will be released between December 2025 and January 2026, excluding Major General Aryeetey, who is being seconded to the UN.
To further clarify the matter, Dr Boamah accounted for the whereabouts of the remaining three Major Generals not affected by the reshuffle: Maj Gen Robert Affram is currently serving as Deputy Force Commander, United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) while Maj Gen Anita Asmah is serving as Force Commander of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF).
AVM Felix Asante has also been appointed Acting President of the National Defence University (NDU) in Ghana.
The Defence Minister reaffirmed that the President had acted in accordance with Article 212 of the 1992 Constitution, which mandates the appointment of the Chief of Defence Staff and Service Chiefs in consultation with the Council of State.
He dismissed Mr Fordjour’s claim that this was the first time a Brigadier General had been appointed as CDS, pointing to similar appointments in 2005 and 2009.
He also noted that the current Acting CDS is from the same intake as the immediate past Chief of Air Staff (a three-star General), and his predecessor (a two-star General).
“Mr Speaker, I assure this House that the release of the Generals is firmly grounded in the regulatory and historical frameworks of the GAF. This is part of our broader goal to promote service efficiency as we reset Ghana, and work with patriotic resolve to secure our sovereignty, uphold our democracy, and protect life and property,” Dr Boamah concluded.
