About MOD

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) is one of the key service delivery organs of the Government of the Republic of Ghana under the Office of the Head of Civil Service (OHCS). The Ministry was established in 1957 with the mandate of formulating, and managing the implementation of policies aimed at safeguarding the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the nation as well as ensuring the protection of life and property. Over the years, MOD has evolved and transformed itself to its current status of excellence with regards to performance of its functions.
The MOD mandate is therefore to formulate and implement policies for the defense of our dear nation through the agency of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF). In charting national defence policies, MOD works in close collaboration with the National Security Secretariat and the Armed Forces Council.

Mandate

Section 11 of the Civil Service Law (PNDCL 327) governs the establishment, operations and internal structure of Government Ministries.

The Act (Section 13 of the PNDCL 327) further outlines the specific roles of a Ministry as follows:

Initiate and formulate policies;

Undertake development planning in consultation with the National Development Planning Commission; and

Coordinate, monitor and evaluate the efficiency and effectiveness of the performance of the sector.

MISSION

The Ministry of Defence exists to proactively promote National and Regional Defence interests through the effective formulation, implementation, co-ordination, monitoring and evaluation of policies and programmes and thereby contributing to the national development agenda.

POLICY GOALS

The Sector Policies and Programmes are derived from the Defense Sector Goals as contained in the National Defense Policy and include the following:

  •  To improve the state of combat readiness of the Ghana Armed Forces for rapid response to any security threat.
  • To improve logistical infrastructure for the Ghana Armed Forces
  • To improve human resource and institutional capacity of the MOD and the GAF.
  • To support national efforts aimed at transforming the nature of the economy to achieve growth and reduce poverty especially among the vulnerable and excluded.
  • To improve the welfare of Servicemen and Veterans
  • To support GAF participation in external Peace Support Operations
  • To improve civil-military relations

FUNCTIONS

The Ministry of Defence performs its functions in accordance with the 1992 Constitution and the Civil Service Act 1993 (PNDCL 327) and specific functions in line with its mandate as follows:

  1. To initiate and formulate policies in relation to the operations of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) and the Veterans Administration, Ghana (VAG), especially in areas of remuneration, logistics and resources to enable them function efficiently.
  2. To work in close collaboration with the National Security Council and the Armed Forces Council to formulate National Defence Policies relating to peace-keeping, internal and external security and the total defence of the nation.
  • To prepare and defend its budget estimates together with those of other interests including the budget of Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) and the Veterans Administration, Ghana (VAG) before Cabinet and Parliament.
  1. To provide inputs for defence leadership, guidance and sound interpretation of defence policies
  2. To facilitate the capacity building of its staff as well as those of the GAF
  3. To facilitate the provision of social infrastructure like roads/bridges, health facilities and education
  • In collaboration with other security agencies and civil authority to ensure the maintenance of law and order
  • To forge and maintain closer links with civil society and the private sector and other Ministerial Organisations.
  1. Co-ordinate, monitor and evaluate the efficiency and effectiveness of the performance sector.