Ranking Member of the Defence and Interior Committee in Parliament, Rev. John Ntim Fordjour, has expressed concerns over the dismissal of the Chief of Defence Staff, Service Chiefs, and 12 senior military officers holding the rank of Major-Generals and above.
He described the move as detrimental to military morale and an unnecessary financial burden on the state.
In a social media statement, Fordjour condemned President John Mahama’s decision describing it as dangerous to unity and cohesion in the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF)
expressed concerns over the dismissal of the Chief of Defence Staff, all Service Chiefs, and 12 senior military officers holding the rank of Major-General and above.
He indicated that many of these officers had up to six years remaining before retirement, and their premature removal would result in millions of cedis in gratuity payments from the public purse.
President John Mahama announced the restructuring on Monday, 17th March 2025, as part of efforts to enhance Ghana’s defence capabilities.
The changes, effective from 24th March 2025, include the appointment of Brigadier General William Agyapong as Acting Chief of Defence Staff and Brigadier General Lawrence Kwaku Gbetanu as Acting Chief of Army Staff. Other key appointments include 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.
Hon Ntim Fordjour, however, argued that replacing experienced senior officers with lower-ranked Brigadier Generals (1-star Generals) undermines the military’s command structure.
He pointed out that Ghana had recently upgraded key military units—such as armour, artillery, signals, and engineering—to brigade status, which warranted the leadership of a 4-star General as Chief of Defence Staff.
According to him, Mahama’s decision to appoint a 1-star General to the top position reverses these advancements.
The Ranking Member described the move as “backward, costly, and far-fetched,” warning that it could severely impact military morale and operational efficiency. He stressed that Ghana’s defence strategy should prioritize stability and experience over abrupt leadership changes.
“President Mahama has dismissed the Chief of Defence Staff, all Service Chiefs, and 12 senior military officers of the rank of Major-General and above, including 2-star, 3-star, and 4-star Generals.”
“Many of these officers have up to six years left before retirement so therefore this premature dismissal will cost the public purse millions in gratuities, all to replace them with lower-ranked Brigadier Generals (1-star Generals) at the helm of the Ghana Armed Forces,” he stated. “
Ntim Fordjour emphasized that such a decision could weaken the military’s effectiveness and called for a more strategic approach to leadership changes within the armed forces.