President John Dramani Mahama has directed the Minister of Finance, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, to release GH¢1 billion for the payment of outstanding benefits owed to retired soldiers of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF).
The directive is intended to address long-standing financial obligations to retired military personnel and to improve the welfare of veterans who have served the nation.
Retired officers and enlisted personnel are owed more than GH¢1 billion following the implementation of Constitutional Instrument (CI) 129. The subsidiary legislation, introduced in 2020, amended the terms and conditions of service for GAF personnel by allowing them to remain in active service for a longer period before retirement.
Mahama explained that while CI 129 significantly increased retirement and gratuity payments for officers, it was implemented without the necessary budgetary allocations to support the policy.
Speaking at the annual West African Soldiers Social Activities (WASSA) event in Accra last Friday, the President said the failure to adequately fund the policy for four years had resulted in the accumulation of arrears owed to about 3,000 personnel across various ranks.
“I have asked the Minister of Finance to make releases for the 1995 and 1996 year groups for their outstanding arrears at the existing rates, while steps are taken to clear their outstanding arrears under CI 129,” he said.
President Mahama stressed the importance of honouring commitments made to retired soldiers, noting that delays in the payment of benefits had caused considerable hardship for many former service members and their families. He described the payments as both a moral obligation and a matter of national responsibility.
The GH¢1 billion allocation is expected to cover gratuities, pensions, and other related entitlements owed to retired soldiers nationwide.
As part of activities marking the event, the President also commissioned a fleet of pickup trucks, buses, and Land Cruisers to enhance the mobility and operational efficiency of the military. Additionally, he cut the sod for the construction of 10,000 housing units for personnel of the Ghana Armed Forces.
