Ghana: At Wassa 2026 - President Cuts Sod for 2,000 Housing Units for Gaf

President John Dramani Mahama has cut the sod at Burma Camp in Accra for the construction of 2,000 housing units for personnel of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF).

The project forms the first phase of a planned 10,000-unit housing scheme to be executed over the next five years under an agreement between the Defence Industrial Holding Company and FT Global.

The sod-cutting ceremony was part of activities marking the 2026 West African Soldiers Social Activities (WASSA), during which the President also commissioned a fleet of vehicles for the Armed Forces.

WASSA is an annual social event that brings together members of the security services to promote interaction, unity and camaraderie among personnel.

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President Mahama noted that housing remains a major challenge for security agencies, with an estimated annual housing deficit of about 14,000 units.

He said the project, together with the Barracks Regeneration Programme, demonstrated the government's commitment to improving living conditions for service personnel and their families.

The President announced that effective March 2026, salaries of personnel of the Ghana Armed Forces would be increased in line with a newly approved pay structure, with arrears for January and February 2026 to be paid in March.

He also presented pick-up trucks, buses and sports utility vehicles to enhance military operational efficiency as part of the government's GH¢1 billion security agencies retooling initiative.

Touching on retirement benefits, President Mahama said that although C.I. 129 introduced in 2020 extended the length of service and increased gratuity payments, no financial allocation was made to operationalise the policy at the time.

This resulted in a GH¢1 billion debt owed to about 3,000 personnel across various ranks.

To resolve the situation, the President said he had directed the Minister of Finance to release funds to clear gratuity arrears for the 1995 and 1996 year groups, while steps were being taken to address outstanding arrears under C.I. 219.

Read the original article on Ghanaian Times.