National Liberation Council
Encyclopedia
The National Liberation Council (NLC) was the name of the Ghana
ian 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 1, 1969.
This was the first coup in Ghana and it was a bloody one. The CIA appears to have had at least a year's notice of the coup d'état
. Some sources believe that they may even have helped in some way. The was very heavy fighting and some loss of life as well. The NLC immediately banned all political parties and suspended the constitution. They eventually handed over power to the Progress Party
led by Dr. Kofi Abrefa Busia
.
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...
ian government after the elected government of the Convention Peoples' Party led by 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...
was overthrown on February 24, 1966. This government was in place till they handed over to a democratically elected government on October 1, 1969.
This was the first coup in Ghana and it was a bloody one. The CIA appears to have had at least a year's notice of the 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...
. Some sources believe that they may even have helped in some way. The was very heavy fighting and some loss of life as well. The NLC immediately banned all political parties and suspended the constitution. They eventually handed over power to the Progress Party
Progress Party (Ghana)
The Progress Party was the ruling party in Ghana during the Second Republic . In the 29 August 1969 elections, the PP won 105 of the National Assembly's 140 seats....
led by Dr. Kofi Abrefa 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...
.
Members
The membership consisted of four soldiers and four police officers.- Lt. Gen. J. A. AnkrahJoseph Arthur AnkrahLieutenant 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:...
- Chairman of the NLC and Head of State (February 24, 1966 – April 3, 1969) - Mr. J.W.K. HarlleyJohn Willie Kofi HarlleyJohn Willie Kofi Harlley was a former foreign minister of Ghana. He was a member of the Presidential Commission that ruled Ghana during the military era of the National Liberation Council and the first year of the Second Republic...
(Inspector General of PoliceInspector General of Police of the Ghana Police ServiceThe Inspector General of Police is the most senior Police Officer in Ghana. The IGP is appointed by the President of Ghana acting in consultation with the Council of State. The IGP is the head of the Police service and is responsible for the operational control and the administration of the Police...
) - Vice Chairman of the NLC - Brigadier Akwasi Amankwaa AfrifaAkwasi AfrifaBrigadier Akwasi Amankwaa Afrifa was a Ghanaian soldier, farmer, a traditional ruler and politician.He was the head of state of Ghana and leader of the military government in 1969 and then Chairman of the Presidential Commission between 1969 and 1970. He continued as a farmer and political activist...
Chairman of the NLC and Head of State (April 3, 1969 – October 1, 1969) - Lt. Gen. Emmanuel K. KotokaEmmanuel Kwasi KotokaLieutenant General Emmanuel Kwasi Kotoka was a member of the ruling National Liberation Council which came to power in Ghana in a military coup d'état on February 24, 1966. This overthrew the government of Dr...
(February 24, 1966 – April 17, 1967) - Mr. B. A. YakubuBawa Andani YakubuBawa Andani Yakubu was a police officer, politician and king. He was an Inspector General of Police in Ghana. He also served in the National Liberation Council government. He was the Gushie-Na or Gushie King until his death.-Career:...
(Deputy Commissioner of Police) - Major GeneralMajor GeneralMajor general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
Albert Kwesi OcranAlbert Kwesi OcranLieutenant General Albert Kwesi Ocran is a soldier and politician. He was a member of the Presidential Commission of Ghana between 1969 and 1970... - Mr. Anthony K. DekuAnthony DekuAnthony K. Deku is a politician and a member of the Council of State of Ghana. He was a former senior police officer in Ghana.-Career:...
(Commissioner of Police, CIDCriminal Investigation DepartmentThe Crime Investigation Department is the branch of all Territorial police forces within the British Police and many other Commonwealth police forces, to which plain clothes detectives belong. It is thus distinct from the Uniformed Branch and the Special Branch.The Metropolitan Police Service CID,...
) - Mr. J.E.O. Nunoo (Commissioner of Police, Administration)
Ministers
| OFFICE | NAME | TERM |
| Minister for Foreign Affairs Minister for Foreign Affairs (Ghana) The Minister for Foreign Affairs is the Ghana government official who is responsible for overseeing the country's foreign policy and international diplomacy. The minister is usually one of the most senior members of Cabinet.... |
Joseph Arthur 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:... John Willie Kofi Harlley John Willie Kofi Harlley John Willie Kofi Harlley was a former foreign minister of Ghana. He was a member of the Presidential Commission that ruled Ghana during the military era of the National Liberation Council and the first year of the Second Republic... |
1966 – 1967 1967 – 1968 |
| Minister for Defence | Lt. Gen. Emmanuel Kotoka Emmanuel Kwasi Kotoka Lieutenant General Emmanuel Kwasi Kotoka was a member of the ruling National Liberation Council which came to power in Ghana in a military coup d'état on February 24, 1966. This overthrew the government of Dr... Lt. Gen. J. A. 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:... Maj. Gen. Albert Ocran |
1966 – 1967 1967 – 1969 1969 |
| Minister for Interior | John Willie Kofi Harlley John Willie Kofi Harlley John Willie Kofi Harlley was a former foreign minister of Ghana. He was a member of the Presidential Commission that ruled Ghana during the military era of the National Liberation Council and the first year of the Second Republic... |
1966 – 1969 |
| Minister for Communications | Matthew Poku | Feb 1968 – Apr 1969 |
| Minister for Social Affairs | Susanna Al-Hassan Susanna Al-Hassan Susanna Al-Hassan or Susan Alhassan was a Ghanaian politician, who in 1961 became Ghana's first female parliamentary minister. She has written several children's books.... |
1967 |