President John Dramani Mahama has made changes to the leadership of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF), appointing Air Vice Marshal Joshua Lartei Mensah-Larkai as the new Chief of Staff.

This decision follows concerns raised by the Minority side of the Defence and Interior Committee of Parliament regarding meritocracy in the recent appointments within the military.

Reverend John Ntim Fordjour, the Ranking Member of the Defence and Interior Committee, welcomed the revision, stating that it aligns with the committee’s advocacy for fairness in military promotions.

In the exercise of oversight, the minority side of Defence & Interior Committee of Parliament raised pertinent concerns of meritocracy in respect of the changes in the command of Ghana Armed Forces effected by the Commander-in-Chief of Ghana Armed Forces President Mahama.… pic.twitter.com/c9IqmbcOVn

— John Ntim Fordjour MP (@NtimFordjour) March 24, 2025

"Consistent with our spirited advocacy, changes have consequently been made in the appointments of Service Chiefs earlier announced."

"We welcome wholeheartedly the appointment of Air Vice Marshal Mensah-Larkai (2 Star General) as the new Chief of Staff of the Ghana Armed Forces and congratulate him on his well-deserved appointment; replacing the earlier announced Brig Gen Ashong Annan (1 Star)," he said.

He further noted that the newly appointed Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) and Service Chiefs have now all been appropriately promoted to the rank of Two-Star General, a move he believes strengthens the principles of merit-based appointments.

According to him, ensuring that promotions within the armed forces reflect competence and seniority is essential for maintaining morale and discipline.

Mr Fordjour reiterated the Minority’s commitment to exercising parliamentary oversight in military affairs. He emphasised the need for further promotions to address the backlog of Colonels and their equivalents, stating, "We shall continue our oversight to ensure that, most importantly, the consequential promotions of backlog Colonels and equivalent to appropriate higher ranks are done in accordance with meritorious credentials so as to restore morale to the rank and file."