The former Chelsea says the 23 players are with the squad mainly because of their talents and commitment to the country Ghana ahead of Tuesday opening Group D match against Uganda.
Grant has brought plenty of young players with him to Gabon but there is still experience in the ranks and almost all the team that started the 2015 final remains.
Ghana have been no strangers to squad disputes in the past -- including a spectacular bonuses row at the 2014 World Cup -- but at least they have not been hit by the sort of mass withdrawals that rocked Cameroon ahead of this competition.
"It is a good group of people, with quality, with passion to serve the country. That is why I choose them," said the former Chelsea manager Grant, 61, of his current assignment.
"There are players who, even with the quality, they don't want to serve their country and make other people happy.
"But this is the main thing with national teams. You have a privilege to serve your team and make a lot of people happy."
Ghana will also come up against record seven-time winners Egypt and Mali in Group D in Port-Gentil, home of Gabon's oil industry.