Minister for Defence, Dr Omane Boamah, has provided clarity to the release of some 12 Major Generals from the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF).

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The sector minister on Wednesday, June 11, appeared before Parliament to answer a question he deemed "wrong" by Member of Parliament for Assin South, Rev. Ntim Fordjour.

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According to Dr Boamah, he had to provide clarification since such question can "mislead the public".

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Presenting the facts to Parliament, the Defence Minister noted that eight Major Generals(2 Star) had reached the point to commence their terminal leave pending compulsory retirement.

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Also, four Major Generals (2 Star), aged between 60 and 62 years, are to be released prior to their mandatory retirement age (63) in accordance with GAF regulations and precedence.

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Meanwhile, Major General Irvin Nii-Ayittey Aryeetey who is among the eight being released, is being sponsored in the rank of Lieutenant General to compete for the high office of Military Adviser, office of the Military Affairs of the Department of Peace Operations at the Assistant Secretary General Level at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, U.S.A.

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Altogether 12 Major Generals, out of which eight were due for their terminal leave prior to compulsory retirement, will be released from the service sometime in December 2025 and January 2026.

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The Defence Minister also accounted for the whereabout of the three Major Generals who are not on terminal leave pending compulsory retirement.

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Major General Robert Affram is serving currently as Deputy Force Commander, United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS).

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Major General Anita Asmah is also serving currently as Force Commander, United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF), and

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On the other hand, AVM Felix Asante has been appointed as the Acting President, National Defence University (NDU) in Ghana.

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With regards to precedence, he revealed that this practice occured under the administrations of the late former President Jerry John Rawlings, former President John Agyekum Kufuor, late former President John Evans Fiifi Atta Mills and former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

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He noted that in 2001, after a change of government, six Major Generals and four Lieutenant Generals were released from the Ghana Armed Forces with their ages running from 56 to 62.

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"In 2005, there were Seven (7) Major Generals – Mr. Speaker, in this instance, none of them were near their compulsory retiring age of 63 – in the Ghana Armed Forces.

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All of them were released. I mean ALL of them were released unlike in our case where some have remained and are serving in valued and enviable capacities presently.

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It is instructive to note that when all the seven Major Generals were released in 2005, a Brigadier General was appointed as the CDS," he added.

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He noted that in 2009, a similar event took place where six Major Generals were released and a Brigadier General was appointed as the CDS.

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