In this regard, the ministry will, in March this year, submit a proposal to Parliament to increase the service period which is currently at 25 to 30.

This is in line with a promise by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to increase the retirement age of recruits during the 2016 election campaigns.

Recruitments

Addressing journalists on his first day in office at the Ministry in Accra yesterday,  Mr Nitiwul said if approved, the policy would not affect the number of personnel the GAF recruited annually, adding that the challenge would be for their various commanders to manage them.

 “Those who qualify to be recruited will be taken and those who do not qualify would be left out. The amendment bill would not affect recruitment in anyway,” Mr Nitiwul said.

“The implication is that over the next four years, few people will be retiring from the military and, therefore, the number in the military will change drastically and the President is prepared for the consequences,” he said.

Before being led to his office, Mr Nitiwul inspected a parade held in his honour at the ministry.

Housing plan

The minister also announced the roll-out of a housing programme dubbed “Barracks Regeneration Project.”

Under the project, old houses would be renovated while new ones would be built to accommodate more personnel.

“There will be a prototype of the project in March which will involve all the stakeholders,” he added.

Ghanaian troops

Commenting on the situation in The Gambia, the minister explained that members of the Ghanaian troop were currently protecting both the Ghanaian community and the President.

He said there is a Ghanaian community in The Gambia where the troops had been stationed, and members of the community were all doing well.

Mr Nitiwul said “the troop will return home as soon as stability returns to The Gambia”.