Ntiwul promises more time in the military service

pulse-ghana admin

February 2, 2017 2:04 PM

Defence Minister, Dominic Nitiwul, has promised more time in the military service as there are plans to add five more years.

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Defence Minister, Dominic Nitiwul, has spelled out plans by his ministry to start a process to change the retirement age of recruits in the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF).

The ministry will, in March this year, submit a proposal to parliament to increase the service period from 25 years to 30 years.

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) during the 2016 election campaigns promised to increase the retirement age of recruits.

Addressing the media on his first day in office at the ministry in Accra on February 1st, Mr. Nitiwul said if approved the policy would not affect the number of personnel GAF recruited annually, adding that the challenge would be for their various commanders to manage them.

“Those who qualify to be recruited will be taken and those who do not qualify will be left out. The amendment bill will not affect recruitment in any way,” Mr. Nitiwul said.

Mr. Ntiwul added that “The implication is that over the next four years, few people will be retiring from the military and, therefore, the number in the military will change drastically and the president is prepared for the consequences.”

Meanwhile, the minister also announced the roll-out of a housing programme dubbed “Barracks Regeneration Project”.

He noted that under the project, old houses will be renovated while new ones will be built to accommodate more personnel.

“There will be a prototype of the project in March which will involve all the stakeholders,” he added.

Commenting on the situation in The Gambia, the minister explained that members of the Ghanaian troop were currently protecting both the Ghanaian community and the President.

He said there is a Ghanaian community in The Gambia where the troops had been stationed, and members of the community were all doing well.

Mr. Nitiwul said, “the troop will return home as soon as stability returns to The Gambia”.

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