This article contains the complete list of military barracks in Ghana, the various branches of the Ghana Armed Forces, how to apply to the army and other basic things about the Ghana Army you need to know.
What is the Ghana Armed Forces
The Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) is the combined armed force of Ghana which consists of the Army, Navy, and the Air Force. The Commander-in-Chief of the Ghana Armed Forces is the sitting President of Ghana at every point in time; and he is also the supreme military commander of the Border Guard Unit.
List of Military Barracks In Ghana
The English term Barracks was derived from French via an old Spanish word “barraca” (hut), primarily referring to non-permanent shelters or huts for numerous men and women and animals. However, it have now become known to be permanent residences for military personnel.
In other words, Barracks is a group of extended structures owned and operated by/for the military or a branch of the military. It is constructed to accommodate military personnel, workers, facilities for training and operations. The word may apply to some individual housing blocks or complete buildings.
Purpose of a barracks
- To separate soldiers from the civilian population
- To reinforce discipline
- To avoid external distraction so as to concentrate on training
They are mostly referred to as “discipline factories for soldiers”.
List of Military Barracks in Ghana
- Burma Camp, Accra
Burma Camp is the Headquarters of the Ghana Armed Forces and also houses Ghana’s Ministry of Defense. The camp is in Accra in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana. - 1 Inf BN, Michel Camp, Tema
Michel Camp is the base of the First Battalion of Infantry of the Ghana Army. It can be located at Tema also in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana. - 3 Inf BN, Myohaung Barracks, Takoradi
- 5 Inf BN, Arakan Barracks, Burma Camp
- 48 Engineer Regiment (Teshie, Greater Accra)
- 64 Infantry Regiment – Gondar Barracks
64 Infantry Regiment is the commando trained rapid reaction force assigned to the Southern Command - 66 Arty Regiment – Volta Barracks Ho, Armed Recce Regiment
- Gondar Barracks
- Wajir Barracks, Teshie
Criteria for joining the Military in Ghana
- Be a Ghanaian citizen by birth
- Be of good character
- Not be less than 18 years and not more than 26 years for Regular Commission and Short Service Commission applicants
- Be medically fit per Ghana Armed Forces standards
How long is military training in Ghana?
The duration of the course for Ghana Army cadets is Two (2) years. At the end of the first six months, a few candidates may be selected to finish their studies at foreign institutions such as the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst in Britain.
For regular soldiers, it’s Six (6) months.
How much do Soldiers earn in Ghana?
According to reliable information reaching depunch.com,, the least ranking officer of the Ghana Army earns around GHc 5,000 monthly. This includes bonuses and allowance. Every Ghanaian Soldier is entitled to allowances and bonuses. The higher your rank, the higher the bonus you take home.
For other ranks, their take home salary is around GHc 3,000 per month. This also includes allowances.
A soldier in Ghana earns more when they are sent on foreign missions. For that one, your per diem is calculated and paid into your account in addition to your basic salary and allowances you enjoy back home.
How many battalions do we have in Ghana?
There are six battalions divided equally between the army’s two brigades in Ghana.
Ghana Military Academy | History and more
Since its establishment, the Academy has produced over 3,500 Ghanaian Officers. Some have retired while the rest of us are now serving in various capacities in the Armed Forces and in the country as a whole. The Academy has also trained cadets from some sister African countries, notably Nigeria, Uganda, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Burkina Faso, Benin, The Gambia, Togo and Guinea. The first commissioning ceremony was held on 30 September, 1961 for 35 officer cadets.
In 1961, the Ghana Government arranged for a joint Military Training Team from Britain and Canada to continue with the training until suitably experienced and qualified Ghanaians were ready to take over. This assistance ceased in 1974. From then, the Academy was manned entirely by Ghanaian Staff until 1 June 1984 when it was decided to modify the training syllabus in line with current trends in other renowned Military Academies.
At the invitation of the Ghana Government, the British Government seconded one officer at a time for a duty tour of 2 years to assist the Ghanaian Staff to implement the revised course syllabus for the Regular Officer Training Programme. The last of the officers of the British Military Assistance Team (BMAT) left in December, 1994 to bring the 10 – year training assistance to an end.
The year 2010 marked a major watershed in the history of Ghana Military Academy when it celebrated its Golden Jubilee Anniversary. Various events were undertaken to mark the occasion and these ware climaxed with a Golden Jubilee Anniversary Parade which was reviewed by HE Prof JEA Mills, President and C-in C of the Ghana Armed Forces. Among the dignitaries who graced the occasion were 3 former Heads of State – Presidents Yakubu Gowon and Olusegun Obasanjo of Nigeria and President JJ Rawlings of Ghana, all Alumni members.
Another significant development has been the upward revision of the educational qualification for entry into the Academy from the minimum of Senior High School certificate to a minimum of a first degree.
GMA continues to run 2 courses, namely the Regular Career Course (RCC) and the Short Service Commission/Special Duties Course (SSC/SD). The duration of the training has however, been reviewed from 22 months to 15 months for RCC and from 8 months to 6 months for SSC/SD in consonance with the above policy change. The Special Medical Intake (SMI) is run occasionally to address the shortfalls in the strength of the Ghana Armed Forces Medical Services.
The Regular Career Course. The Regular Course is divided into 2 parts. These are the Standard Military Course (SMC) which is for a period 4 months and the Regular Career Course covering a period of 11 months. The Regular Course therefore runs for a total of 15 months. The course now usually starts at the beginning of May and ends in August the following year.
The Short Service and Special Duties Course. The Short Service Commission and Special Duties Course is 6 months course run for direct entry professionals and servicemen whose services are required by the Armed Forces as specialist officers. The course leads to a Short Service/Special Duties Commission into the Armed Forces. With the revised training regime, the course usually starts in February and ends in August the same year.
The Regular Course is tri-service during the SMC phase. The Army, Naval and Air Force Cadets continue with their appropriate special service training here in GMA after this phase. The Regular Career Course training includes 2 weeks of jungle training at the Jungle Warfare School at Achiase in the Eastern Region. The Cadets also undertake a week of mountaineering at Amedzofe in the Volta Region. All graduating cadets of the Regular Course are granted Regular Commission into the Ghana Armed Forces.
The Regular Course is tri-service during the SMC phase. The Army, Naval and Air Force Cadets continue with their appropriate special service training here in GMA after this phase. The Regular Career Course training includes 2 weeks of jungle training at the Jungle Warfare School at Achiase in the Eastern Region. The Cadets also undertake a week of mountaineering at Amedzofe in the Volta Region. All graduating cadets of the Regular Course are granted Regular Commission into the Ghana Armed Forces.
The Regular Course is tri-service during the SMC phase. The Army, Naval and Air Force Cadets continue with their appropriate special service training here in GMA after this phase. The Regular Career Course training includes 2 weeks of jungle training at the Jungle Warfare School at Achiase in the Eastern Region. The Cadets also undertake a week of mountaineering at Amedzofe in the Volta Region. All graduating cadets of the Regular Course are granted Regular Commission into the Ghana Armed Forces.
The Regular Course is tri-service during the SMC phase. The Army, Naval and Air Force Cadets continue with their appropriate special service training here in GMA after this phase. The Regular Career Course training includes 2 weeks of jungle training at the Jungle Warfare School at Achiase in the Eastern Region. The Cadets also undertake a week of mountaineering at Amedzofe in the Volta Region. All graduating cadets of the Regular Course are granted Regular Commission into the Ghana Armed Forces.
Reference: https://gafonline.mil.gh