President John Dramani Mahama has unveiled a revised salary structure for personnel of the Ghana Armed Forces, announcing that the increases will take effect in March 2026 alongside the payment of two months of salary arrears.
The President made the disclosure while addressing officers and men at the 2025 West African Soldiers’ Social Activity, known as WASA, at the Ghana Armed Forces Headquarters in Burma Camp, Accra. The annual gathering is held to offer security personnel a break from their rigorous duties while fostering unity and appreciation across the services.
As he delivered the news, the atmosphere at the event shifted instantly, with loud applause breaking out among the ranks in attendance.
“I bring thee tidings of great joy, and it pleases me to announce that your new salary scales will start in March. I said tidings of great joy. You now understand what I mean. Your new salary scales will start in March, and the arrears for January and February will also be paid in March,” he said.
“Thank you very much. I knew you would receive that with great joy.”
Beyond current pay adjustments, President Mahama turned his attention to unresolved retirement benefits, revisiting changes introduced in 2020 under Constitutional Instrument 129. He explained that the regulation, rolled out shortly before national elections by the previous administration, extended service periods and significantly increased retirement and gratuity payments for officers.
“It will interest you to know that over the four years following the year 2020, the previous administration made no budgetary allocation to operationalize the new gratuity levels,” he said.
According to the President, the failure to fund the policy resulted in unpaid obligations running into more than one billion Ghana cedis, affecting roughly 3,000 retired and retiring military personnel across various ranks.
He disclosed that he had instructed the Minister of Finance to release funds to clear outstanding arrears owed to the 1995 and 1996 year groups based on existing rates, while arrangements were being made to fully settle their entitlements under C.I. 129.
President Mahama also outlined plans to boost the internally generated revenue of the Armed Forces by expanding their role in national development projects. He said discussions were underway with the Ministry of Roads and the Ministry of Finance to allow the 48th Engineer Regiment and other army units to take part in the government’s Big Push Infrastructure Projects nationwide.
“We shall allocate some of the drip equipment that was imported under the last administration to the 48th Engineer Regiment so that you can also participate in road construction and earn money for the Armed Forces,” he said.
As reported by GNA, he concluded by congratulating the winners of the Chief of Defence Staff Prize essay competition and thanked the organisers, sponsors, and partners whose support ensured the successful hosting of WASA 2025.
