Recruitment into the security service in Ghana is often plagued by corruption and bribery. Over the years, many have fallen victim to surging fraudulent recruitment schemes, mostly advertised on social media platforms such as Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram

These social media scams are perpetrated by impostors posing as senior officers with the promise of "protocol recruitment," selling as a shortcut to the hiring process, and demanding payment from desperate job seekers.

Some scammers have often pegged protocol fees ranging from GH¢2,000 to GH¢10,000, depending on the scammer’s promises and the desperation of the applicant. Some victims paid multiple instalments, believing they were securing officer roles or fast-tracked enlistment. These payments were often made in cash or mobile money, with no receipts, making prosecution difficult.

In light of this, the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) and the Defence Ministry have issued an awareness caution to the public to be vigilant and guard themselves against these scams.

“The general public is kindly informed that any purported recruitment links on Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp or any other social media platforms inviting people for protocol recruitment are a scam and should be ignored. Additionally, no such enlistment/recruitment invitation will emanate from any member of the Ghana Armed Forces or its High Command and should be ignored as well,” it added. “The Ghana Armed Forces counts on the cooperation of the general public in this endeavour,” the Force warned.

According to GAF, recruitment announcements will be made through its official website and Ghana’s two main state-owned national newspapers.

“The enlistment/recruitment exercise will be announced through the official Ghana Armed Forces platforms such as gafonline.mil.gh, gafrecruitment.mil.gh, in addition to the Daily Graphic and the Ghanaian Times newspapers,” GAF noted.

GAF also outlined a new development where the recruitment exercise would be conducted in all sixteen (16) regions nationwide.

This marks a significant change in the security force’s recruitment process, moving away from the traditional method that was largely centralised in a few selected centres such as Accra, Tamale, and Kumasi. The new approach, GAF explained, is to ensure equal opportunity for applicants across the country, particularly those in remote or underserved areas who previously had to travel long distances and incur high costs.

“The Ghana Armed Forces wishes to inform the public that the 2025 Enlistment/Recruitment Exercise into the Ghana Armed Forces will commence in the coming days at all the regional capitals of the 16 Regions of the country. This approach offers equal opportunity for all potential applicants in the entire country,” parts of the statement read.

The Deputy Defence Minister, Brogya Genfi, on the other hand, emphasised that, aside from the forms which are for sale, recruitment is free and will never be put on sale, writing his text in caps to underscore the importance of his point.

“Let this be clear: Recruitment into the Ghana Armed Forces is NOT for sale, and will NEVER be for sale under our #EagleEyes watch. Any individual or syndicate involved in fraudulent recruitment schemes will be dealt with without mercy. Take Note that no recruitment will take place on social media. The process will be transparent and professional”, he said in a post shared on his official Facebook page on Monday, September 29.

Meanwhile, on Thursday, September 18, a group of delayed recruits picketed near Jubilee House, demanding clarity on their enlistment status. They claimed to have passed medicals and interviews in 2023–2024 but had not yet been called for training.

The protest highlighted frustrations over poor communication, with some recruits waiting for more than a year. Barely a week after their demonstration, the Defence Ministry announced a major enlistment exercise that is expected to address their concerns.

Deputy Defence Minister Brogya Genfi revealed that the government is set to recruit about twelve thousand (12,000) personnel to strengthen the country’s defence. He further disclosed that the cost of recruitment forms has been slashed by 40 percent to ensure wider access and fairness.

“The Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) is undergoing a massive expansion beginning this week. Over the next 3 years, GAF will recruit 12,000 personnel to reinforce our national defence capabilities. In line with H.E. the President and Commander-in-Chief John Dramani Mahama’s commitment to affordability, accessibility and fairness, the cost of the recruitment forms has been reduced by over 40% compared to the last recruitment,” the Minister said.

Deputy Defence Minister Brogya Genfi also sent a cautionary reminder to all applicants who will make it for the recruitment and be shortlisted for training to join the force. He sent a stern caution with a patriotic call to service, highlighting the sacrifices of military life, which is quite different from that of civilians.

His message read, “ All qualified applicants must be medically fit and be prepared to abandon all hope of normal life! We are building a force that reflects the strength, discipline, and unity of Ghana”.

Meanwhile, GAF is actively contributing to ECOWAS regional security efforts through the 2024–2025 Standby Force collaboration. This involves joint training exercises, intelligence sharing, and border security coordination with neighbouring countries such as Côte d’Ivoire, Burkina Faso, and Togo.

Ghana’s activation to contribute to the ECOWAS Standby Force (ESF) followed a major decision on 15 September, when ECOWAS Defence and Finance Ministers met in Abuja, Nigeria, to finalise funding and deployment arrangements. This marked a pivotal step in strengthening regional security in response to growing threats in the Sahel corridor.

Subsequently, a Tripartite Meeting of Commandants from ECOWAS Training Centres of Excellence was held in Accra from 17 to 19 September 2025, hosted by the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC). At the meeting, Ghana’s troop readiness, logistical capacity, and training contributions were thoroughly assessed.

The ECOWAS Standby Force is expected to begin operations in early 2026, with Ghana contributing personnel, equipment, and strategic support. As part of preparations, the 48 Engineer Regiment and Northern Command (Nyohini Camp, Tamale) have already undergone inspection and clearance for deployment.

Ghana will join a broader Multi-National Joint Task Force with Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, and Togo, working together to combat terrorism, transnational crime, and instability across West Africa.