Policy think tank IMANI Africa has called on the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) to reconsider its age and height eligibility requirements for enlistment, describing them as “unnecessarily restrictive” and inconsistent with modern defence realities.
In its latest Critical Analysis of Governance and Economic Issues (CAGI) report, published between October 6–11, 2025, IMANI noted that while the recent digitalisation of GAF recruitment was a progressive step, “what should have been a moment of progress has instead sparked heated debate, particularly over the strict age eligibility criteria.”
The controversy stems from the GAF’s stipulation that applicants “must be not less than 18 years of age and not more than 25 years for Non–Tradesmen and not more than 27 years for Tradesmen by 30 December 2025.”
This policy, IMANI observed, has effectively “closed the door to many willing and capable Ghanaians who fall outside this narrow bracket.”
The report cited growing backlash from lawmakers such as Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor and Samuel Nartey George, who have argued that the age limit unfairly excludes physically fit citizens eager to serve.
“Dafeamekpor has even threatened legal action, insisting that the age limit contradicts Ghana’s own National Youth Authority Act, which defines youth as persons up to 35 years old,” the report said.
IMANI compared Ghana’s recruitment standards with other countries and found them “out of step with global practice.”
“In the United States, enlistment i from 17 (with parental consent) up to 35 years, depending on the branch. In the United Kingdom, the maximum age for regular enlistment is 36, while in France it extends to 30 for most roles,” the report noted.
The think tank argued that “Ghana’s ceiling of 25–27 years is not only out of step with global practice but also unnecessarily exclusionary in a country where many young people complete tertiary education or vocational training in their late twenties.”
It suggested that medical fitness, rather than age alone, should serve as the decisive criterion.
“If the African and Ghanaian definition of youth extends to 35 years, then the GAF should align its recruitment policy accordingly,” IMANI advised.
IMANI also questioned the continued enforcement of strict height restrictions – 1.68 metres for males and 1.57 metres for females, calling them “outdated notions of military physique.”
“In an era of technological warfare, where airpower, drones, and cyber defence dominate, agility, stealth, and technical expertise may matter more than towering height,” the report observed.
According to IMANI, a more flexible approach would “open the door to capable recruits who might otherwise be excluded.”
The think tank, however, commended the GAF and Ministry of Defence for heeding its earlier recommendations on decentralised recruitment.
“IMANI’s July 20-26 CAGI report has already influenced positive change by pushing for decentralised recruitment. This year, recruitment centres have been spread across all regions to reduce overcrowding,” the report highlighted.
It further urged the GAF to go a step further by establishing district-level centres and introducing year-round applications, which would make the process more inclusive and accessible.
The report also proposed that high school cadet corps members should be prioritised in recruitment, with attestations from their schools serving as evidence of discipline and patriotism.
“Prioritising these cadet applicants… could boost morale and inspire a new generation of service-minded youth,” IMANI stated.
Ultimately, IMANI urged the military to match its digital modernisation with a modernised mindset.
“The future of Ghana’s defence lies not in arbitrary age and height limits but in a flexible, inclusive system that values fitness, skill, and commitment above all else,” the think tank said.
