Accra, March 23, GNA - Lieutenant General Joseph Smith (Rtd), Minister of Defence, said 1,230 men and women were recruited into the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) in 2010.

He said there were 1,110 males and 120 females and that the first batch of 451 Army recruits comprising 391 males and 60 females passed out in December 2010.

Answering questions in Parliament on Wednesday, General Smith said the second batch of 435 males commenced training in January 2011 while 215 Naval and 129 Air Force recruits completed their basic training and passed out in February 2011.

He said for 2011, GAF had approved a quota of 1,600 for general recruitment out of which the Army was to train 900, Navy, 400 and the Air Force, 300.

He said this was duly advertised in the newspapers in October 2010 adding that medical examination was on going for prospective candidates at the 37 Military Hospital in two batches. Successful candidates for the first batch would report for training in July 2011 while the second batch would start their medical examination in September 2011 and their training starting in January 2012.

The minister indicated that GAF was mindful of the constitutional provisions on the need to have an institution representing national character.

He stated that personnel were drawn from all the ten regions without sacrificing professionalism proficiency efficiency and merit. According to the Minister, this was to ensure that all the regions had equitable representation in conformity with the provisions of Article 35 (5) and (6) of the 1992 Constitution.

Lt Gen Smith said recruitment in the GAF had become increasingly competitive among the youth adding that the enthusiasm with which the youth embrace the army was a verifiable indicator of success for the GAF as an institution.

He said the quality of the selection method which normally adopted a decentralised system with a simultaneous recruitment exercise in all the ten regions was time tested and promised that it would be preserved and improved.

The regional percentages of recruitment in 2010 are as follows: Ashanti, 19, Brong Ahafo, 10, Central, eight, Eastern, 10, and Greater Accra, 19. The rest are Northern Region, nine, Upper East, four, Upper West, three, Volta Region, eight, and Western Region, 10.