Ghana Armed Forces Extends Recruitment Deadline After Portal Glitches
The Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) has officially extended the deadline for its 2025 nationwide recruitment exercise by one week, moving it from October 31 to November 7, 2025, due to persistent technical challenges on the official application portal, apply.mil.gh.
In a statement released by the Department of Public Relations at the General Headquarters, Burma Camp, and signed by Colonel Evelyn Ntiamoah Asamoah, Acting Director-General of Public Relations, the military confirmed that the extension was necessary to ensure fairness and equal opportunity for all applicants affected by the system disruptions.
“The Ghana Armed Forces wishes to inform the general public that, due to intermittent technical difficulties experienced by some applicants on the recruitment portal, the deadline for the ongoing enlistment exercise has been extended to November 7, 2025,” the statement read. “We apologise for any inconvenience caused and urge the public to disregard unofficial recruitment information circulating online.”
The recruitment exercise, which began on October 1, 2025, allows qualified Ghanaian citizens to apply for positions in the Army, Navy, and Air Force. With the extension, thousands of potential applicants now have additional time to complete their online applications and upload the required documentation before the final cut-off date.
Applicants are required to purchase an electronic recruitment voucher costing GHC 200 from any Ghana Post office nationwide. The voucher contains a unique serial number and PIN code, which grant access to the application portal. Once logged in, applicants must select their preferred service branch and indicate whether they are applying as tradesmen, non-tradesmen, or professionals.
Eligibility criteria remain stringent. Tradesmen applicants must be between 18 and 27 years old by December 30, 2025, while non-tradesmen must not exceed 25 years. Educational qualifications include six credits at the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE), including English Language and Mathematics, and five credits at the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) with at least a C6 grade or better.
Height requirements also apply: 1.68 meters for males and 1.57 meters for females. For those applying to the Military Police, stricter standards are enforced, 1.75 meters for males and 1.70 meters for females.
The Armed Forces also outlined specific areas of recruitment for each service branch. The Ghana Army seeks candidates in engineering, draughtsmanship, radio technology, electrical installation, and biomedical engineering. The Ghana Navy is recruiting for logistics, ship mechanics, catering, and telecommunications, while the Ghana Air Force focuses on administration, accounting, avionics, and airframe maintenance.
Speaking to journalists in Accra, Deputy Defence Minister Brogya Genfi emphasized that recruitment into the Armed Forces remains strictly merit-based and non-negotiable. He warned the public against engaging middlemen or fraudulent agents promising guaranteed enlistment.
“No one can influence military recruitment,” he said. “The process is transparent, digitalized, and open to all qualified citizens. Anyone caught impersonating officials or defrauding applicants will face full legal consequences.”
The Cyber Security Authority (CSA) recently uncovered 86 fake social media accounts impersonating the Ghana Armed Forces, actively circulating misleading recruitment information on Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, and Telegram. Authorities are currently working with Meta and other platforms to shut down these pages. GAF reiterated that official announcements are published only in the Daily Graphic and Ghanaian Times newspapers and on verified government websites.
According to the Ministry of Defence, this recruitment drive forms part of a three-year plan to enlist approximately 12,000 new personnel into the Ghana Armed Forces, averaging about 3,000 recruits annually. The initiative, first announced by the late former Defence Minister Dr. Edward Omane Boamah, is intended to strengthen Ghana’s defence capabilities, improve security operations, and create employment opportunities for young Ghanaians.
Successful applicants will proceed through a rigorous selection process involving medical screening, academic verification, aptitude tests, physical endurance trials, and background checks. Candidates who meet the required standards will then receive invitations for training at the Ghana Military Academy (GMA) in Teshie or other designated centres.
Colonel Asamoah noted that the Armed Forces’ decision to extend the deadline demonstrates its commitment to fairness and transparency, ensuring no applicant is disadvantaged by system failures. “We recognise the frustrations caused by the technical challenges, but the extension will give everyone a fair opportunity to complete their applications successfully,” she stated.
The ongoing digitisation of Ghana’s public sector has made recruitment processes more efficient but also exposed infrastructural limitations, including server downtimes and overloads during high-traffic periods. The Armed Forces assured the public that its IT team, in collaboration with external technical partners, has implemented solutions to stabilise the system and prevent further disruptions.
Applicants are strongly advised to submit applications well before the November 7 deadline to avoid last-minute issues. Late submissions will not be entertained under any circumstances. The military also encouraged applicants to print a copy of their completed forms and receipt as proof of submission for later verification.
The extension comes at a time of heightened interest in military recruitment across Ghana, with thousands of youth seeking stable careers in national service amid economic uncertainty. The Armed Forces reiterated that while recruitment remains competitive, all qualified applicants, regardless of background, will be evaluated solely on merit.
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