List of Ghana governments
Encyclopedia
This is a list of the governments of Ghana
. Prior to independence, Ghana was under colonial rule in various forms including direct or indirect British rule. On February 12, 1951, the first Ghanaian government or cabinet, dominated by native Ghanaians was formed in the run up to independence on March 6, 1957. since then, Ghana has had a mix of democratically elected governments as well as military ones. It has had a one party state status between 1964 and 1966 while some of the military governments have had extensive civilian involvement such as the Provisional National Defence Council
governments.
Ghana
Ghana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...
. Prior to independence, Ghana was under colonial rule in various forms including direct or indirect British rule. On February 12, 1951, the first Ghanaian government or cabinet, dominated by native Ghanaians was formed in the run up to independence on March 6, 1957. since then, Ghana has had a mix of democratically elected governments as well as military ones. It has had a one party state status between 1964 and 1966 while some of the military governments have had extensive civilian involvement such as the Provisional National Defence Council
Provisional National Defence Council
The Provisional National Defence Council was the name of the Ghanaian government after the People's National Party's elected government was overthrown by Jerry Rawlings, the former head of the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council. This was on December 31, 1981. It remained in power until January 7,...
governments.
Governments of Ghana before independence
| Party | Leader | Title | Start date | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Committee of Merchants | various | Governor of the Committee of Merchants | 23 June 1751 | Start date of earliest governor available. |
| various | Governor | March 27, 1822 | ||
| Crown colony under Sierra Leone Sierra Leone Sierra Leone , officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Guinea to the north and east, Liberia to the southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west and southwest. Sierra Leone covers a total area of and has an estimated population between 5.4 and 6.4... |
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| various | Governor | March 27, 1843 | ||
| Crown colony under direct British United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages... rule |
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| various | Governor | March 4, 1874 | ||
| Convention People's Party Convention People's Party The Convention People's Party is a socialist political party in Ghana, based on the ideas of former President Kwame Nkrumah.The CPP was formed in 1949 by Kwame Nkrumah to campaign for the independence of the Gold Coast. It ruled Ghana from 1957 to 1966... |
Dr. Kwame Nkrumah Kwame Nkrumah Kwame Nkrumah was the leader of Ghana and its predecessor state, the Gold Coast, from 1952 to 1966. Overseeing the nation's independence from British colonial rule in 1957, Nkrumah was the first President of Ghana and the first Prime Minister of Ghana... |
Leader of Government Business | February 12, 1951 | Nkrumah was released from prison to head this government |
Governments of Ghana since independence
| Party | Leader | Title | Start date | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nkrumah government Nkrumah government Dr. Kwame Nkrumah was the first Prime Minister and first President of Ghana.-Nkrumah's first independence government :Nkrumah had run governments under the supervision of the British government through Charles Arden-Clarke, the Governor-General. His first government under colonial rule started... (Convention People's Party Convention People's Party The Convention People's Party is a socialist political party in Ghana, based on the ideas of former President Kwame Nkrumah.The CPP was formed in 1949 by Kwame Nkrumah to campaign for the independence of the Gold Coast. It ruled Ghana from 1957 to 1966... ) |
Dr. Kwame Nkrumah Kwame Nkrumah Kwame Nkrumah was the leader of Ghana and its predecessor state, the Gold Coast, from 1952 to 1966. Overseeing the nation's independence from British colonial rule in 1957, Nkrumah was the first President of Ghana and the first Prime Minister of Ghana... |
Prime Minister Prime Minister of Ghana The Prime Minister of Ghana was the head of government of Ghana from 1957 to 1960 and again from 1969 to 1972.-History of the office:The country's first leader and Prime Minister was Kwame Nkrumah of the Convention People's Party... |
March 6, 1957 | First government after independence. |
| First Republic | ||||
| Nkrumah government Nkrumah government Dr. Kwame Nkrumah was the first Prime Minister and first President of Ghana.-Nkrumah's first independence government :Nkrumah had run governments under the supervision of the British government through Charles Arden-Clarke, the Governor-General. His first government under colonial rule started... (Convention People's Party Convention People's Party The Convention People's Party is a socialist political party in Ghana, based on the ideas of former President Kwame Nkrumah.The CPP was formed in 1949 by Kwame Nkrumah to campaign for the independence of the Gold Coast. It ruled Ghana from 1957 to 1966... ) |
Dr. Kwame Nkrumah Kwame Nkrumah Kwame Nkrumah was the leader of Ghana and its predecessor state, the Gold Coast, from 1952 to 1966. Overseeing the nation's independence from British colonial rule in 1957, Nkrumah was the first President of Ghana and the first Prime Minister of Ghana... |
President Heads of state of Ghana Prior to independence in 1957, Ghana was known as the British colony of Gold Coast. Before then it had been divided among a number of states, by far the largest of which was the Ashanti Empire, whose rulers were known as the Asantehene.... |
July 1, 1960 | Started as western style parliamentary government and ended as one party state between 1964 and 1966 |
| February 24, 1966 coup d'état Coup d'état A coup d'état state, literally: strike/blow of state)—also known as a coup, putsch, and overthrow—is the sudden, extrajudicial deposition of a government, usually by a small group of the existing state establishment—typically the military—to replace the deposed government with another body; either... |
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| National Liberation Council National Liberation Council The National Liberation Council was the name of the Ghanaian government after the elected government of the Convention Peoples' Party led by Dr. Kwame Nkrumah was overthrown on February 24, 1966. This government was in place till they handed over to a democratically elected government on October... |
Lt. Gen. Joseph Ankrah Joseph Arthur Ankrah Lieutenant General Joseph Arthur Ankrah served as the first commander of the Army of Ghana and from 1966 and 1969 as the second head of state.-Early life:... Lt. Gen. A.A. Afrifa |
Head of state Heads of state of Ghana Prior to independence in 1957, Ghana was known as the British colony of Gold Coast. Before then it had been divided among a number of states, by far the largest of which was the Ashanti Empire, whose rulers were known as the Asantehene.... |
February 24, 1966 April 3, 1969 |
First military intervention in government |
| Second Republic | ||||
| Busia government Busia government This is a listing of the ministers who served in Busia's Progress Party government during the Second Republic of Ghana. The Second Republic lasted from 1 October 1969 to 13 January 1972.-List of ministers:-References:... (Progress Party Progress Party Progress Party may refer to:* Gabonese Progress Party, political party in Gabon* German Progress Party, the first modern political party with a program in Germany... ) |
Dr. Kofi Busia Kofi Abrefa Busia Kofi Abrefa Busia was Prime Minister of Ghana from 1969–72. He was born in Wenchi, in the then British colony of Gold Coast . He was educated at Methodist School, Wenchi, Mfantsipim School, Cape Coast, then at Wesley College, Kumasi from 1931–32. He later became a teacher at Achimota Secondary... |
Prime Minister Prime Minister of Ghana The Prime Minister of Ghana was the head of government of Ghana from 1957 to 1960 and again from 1969 to 1972.-History of the office:The country's first leader and Prime Minister was Kwame Nkrumah of the Convention People's Party... |
October 1, 1969 | |
| January 13, 1972 coup | ||||
| National Redemption Council National Redemption Council The National Redemption Council was the ruling Ghana military government in from January 13, 1972 to October 9, 1975. Its chairman was Colonel I.K. Acheampong. He was also the Head of state of Ghana due to his chairmanship.-Duration of rule:... Supreme Military Council Supreme Military Council, Ghana The Supreme Military Council was the ruling government of Ghana from October 9, 1975 to June 4, 1979. Its chairman was Colonel I.K. Acheampong. He was also the Head of state of Ghana due to his chairmanship.- SMC I and II :... |
Gen. I.K. Acheampong | Head of state Heads of state of Ghana Prior to independence in 1957, Ghana was known as the British colony of Gold Coast. Before then it had been divided among a number of states, by far the largest of which was the Ashanti Empire, whose rulers were known as the Asantehene.... |
January 13, 1972 October 9, 1975 |
Gen. Acheampong was removed in a bloodless palace coup. |
| Supreme Military Council Supreme Military Council, Ghana The Supreme Military Council was the ruling government of Ghana from October 9, 1975 to June 4, 1979. Its chairman was Colonel I.K. Acheampong. He was also the Head of state of Ghana due to his chairmanship.- SMC I and II :... |
Lt. Gen. Fred W.K. Akuffo Fred Akuffo Lieutenant General Frederick William Kwasi Akuffo was a soldier and politician. He is a former Chief of Defence Staff of the Ghana Armed Forces and the Head of state and chairman of the ruling Supreme Military Council in Ghana from 1978 to 1979... |
Head of state Heads of state of Ghana Prior to independence in 1957, Ghana was known as the British colony of Gold Coast. Before then it had been divided among a number of states, by far the largest of which was the Ashanti Empire, whose rulers were known as the Asantehene.... |
July 5, 1978 | |
| June 4, 1979 coup | ||||
| Armed Forces Revolutionary Council Armed Forces Revolutionary Council, Ghana The Armed Forces Revolutionary Council was the government of Ghana from June 4, 1979 to September 24, 1979. It came to power in a bloody coup that removed the Supreme Military Council, another military regime, from power. The June 4 coup was preceded by an abortive attempt on May 15, 1979 when... |
Flt. Lt. Jerry Rawlings Jerry Rawlings Jerry John Rawlings is a former leader of the Republic of Ghana and now the African Union envoy to Somalia. Rawlings ruled Ghana as a military dictator in 1979 and from 1981 to 1992 and then as the first elected president of the Fourth Republic from 1993 to 2001... |
Head of state Heads of state of Ghana Prior to independence in 1957, Ghana was known as the British colony of Gold Coast. Before then it had been divided among a number of states, by far the largest of which was the Ashanti Empire, whose rulers were known as the Asantehene.... |
June 4, 1979 | Coup / military revolt by junior ranks of the Ghana Armed Forces after a failed attempt by Rawlings on May 15, 1979 |
| Third Republic | ||||
| Limann government Limann government This is a listing of the ministers who served in Limann's People's National Party government during the Third Republic of Ghana. The Third Republic was inaugurated on 24 September 1979. It ended with the coup on 31 December 1981, which brought the Provisional National Defence Council of Jerry... (People's National Party People's National Party (Ghana) The People's National Party was the ruling party in Ghana during the Third Republic .All political parties in Ghana were disbanded following the January 1972 military coup led by Col. Ignatius Kutu Acheampong. When political activities resumed in 1979, there were five parties contesting the... ) |
Dr. Hilla Limann Hilla Limann Hilla Limann was the President of Ghana from 24 September, 1979 to 31 December, 1981. Eventually he became a diplomat, and served in Switzerland. Limann, whose original last name was Babini, was born in the northern Ghanaian town of Gwolu in the Sissala West District of the Upper West Region to a... |
President Heads of state of Ghana Prior to independence in 1957, Ghana was known as the British colony of Gold Coast. Before then it had been divided among a number of states, by far the largest of which was the Ashanti Empire, whose rulers were known as the Asantehene.... |
September 24, 1979 | US Presidential style government |
| December 31, 1981 coup | ||||
| Provisional National Defence Council Provisional National Defence Council The Provisional National Defence Council was the name of the Ghanaian government after the People's National Party's elected government was overthrown by Jerry Rawlings, the former head of the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council. This was on December 31, 1981. It remained in power until January 7,... |
Flt. Lt. Jerry Rawlings Jerry Rawlings Jerry John Rawlings is a former leader of the Republic of Ghana and now the African Union envoy to Somalia. Rawlings ruled Ghana as a military dictator in 1979 and from 1981 to 1992 and then as the first elected president of the Fourth Republic from 1993 to 2001... |
Head of state Heads of state of Ghana Prior to independence in 1957, Ghana was known as the British colony of Gold Coast. Before then it had been divided among a number of states, by far the largest of which was the Ashanti Empire, whose rulers were known as the Asantehene.... |
December 31, 1981 | Rawlings second coup |
| Fourth Republic | ||||
| Rawlings government Rawlings government This is a listing of the ministers who served in Jerry Rawlings's National Democratic Congress government during the Fourth Republic of Ghana. This started on January 7, 1993, after 11 years of military rule by Rawlings... (National Democratic Congress National Democratic Congress (Ghana) The National Democratic Congress is a social democratic political party in Ghana, founded by Jerry John Rawlings, who was Head of State of Ghana from 1981 to 1993 and the President of Ghana from 1993 to 2001. The NDC was formed ahead of elections in 1992 and 1996 returned Jerry John Rawlings to... ) |
Jerry John Rawlings Jerry Rawlings Jerry John Rawlings is a former leader of the Republic of Ghana and now the African Union envoy to Somalia. Rawlings ruled Ghana as a military dictator in 1979 and from 1981 to 1992 and then as the first elected president of the Fourth Republic from 1993 to 2001... |
President Heads of state of Ghana Prior to independence in 1957, Ghana was known as the British colony of Gold Coast. Before then it had been divided among a number of states, by far the largest of which was the Ashanti Empire, whose rulers were known as the Asantehene.... |
January 7, 1993 | Rawlings resigned from the military to stand elections |
| Kufuor government Kufuor government This is a list of the ministers who have served in John Kufuor's New Patriotic Party government during the Fourth Republic of Ghana. This started on January 7, 2001, the first changeover between civilian governments in Ghana through the ballot box. John Kufuor won the 2004 elections and is serving... (New Patriotic Party New Patriotic Party -External links:*... ) |
John Agyekum Kufuor John Kufuor John Kofi Agyekum Kufuor was the second president of the 4th Republic of Ghana and Chairperson of the African Union... |
President Heads of state of Ghana Prior to independence in 1957, Ghana was known as the British colony of Gold Coast. Before then it had been divided among a number of states, by far the largest of which was the Ashanti Empire, whose rulers were known as the Asantehene.... |
January 7, 2001 | First change of government through elections in Ghana |
| Mills government (National Democratic Congress) |
John Atta Mills | President | 7 January 2009 | |
See also
- List of Colonial Heads of Ghana
- Heads of state of GhanaHeads of state of GhanaPrior to independence in 1957, Ghana was known as the British colony of Gold Coast. Before then it had been divided among a number of states, by far the largest of which was the Ashanti Empire, whose rulers were known as the Asantehene....
- List of Ghana Heads of state by age