Supreme Military Council, Ghana
Encyclopedia
The Supreme Military Council (SMC) 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

The period of the SMC can be divided into two eras. These are :
  • Acheampong era - SMC - 1 (October 9, 1975 - July 5, 1978)
  • Akuffo era - SMC 2 - (July 5, 1978 - June 4, 1979)


The SMC was overthrown by the 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...

 on June 4, 1979. This was a bloody coup during which one of the SMC members, the Army Commander Major General Odartey-Wellington was killed.

Members of the Acheampong government

The council consisted of the Head of state and all service commanders of the Ghana Armed Forces. The head of the police was also included.


SMC I members (October 1975 to July 1978)

Office Name Dates
Head of state and Chairman General Ignatius Kutu Acheampong  9 October 1975 - 5 July 1978
Chief of the Defence Staff
Chief of the Defence Staff (Ghana)
The Chief of the Defence Staff is the professional head of the Ghana Armed Forces. He is thus responsible for the administration and the operational control and command of the Ghana military. The Ghana Army was formed after World War II out of the Gold Coast Regiment of the Royal West African...

 
Lieutenant General Lawrence A. Okai
Lawrence Okai
Lieutenant General Lawrence A. Okai is a former Chief of the Defence Staff of the Ghana Armed Forces. He is also a former member of the Supreme Military Council government led by General Acheampong.- Army career :...


Lieutenant General 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...

 
9 October 1975 - November 1976
November 1976 - July 1978
Chief of Army Staff
Ghana Army
The Ghana Army is the army of the West African nation of Ghana. In 1959, two years after the Gold Coast obtained independence as Ghana, the Gold Coast Regiment was withdrawn from the Royal West African Frontier Force, and formed the basis for the new Ghanaian Army...

 
Lieutenant General Fred W. K. Akuffo
Major General Robert E. A. Kotei
Robert Kotei
Major General Robert Ebenezer Abossey Kotei was a soldier, politician and track and field athlete. He was once the Chief of Defence Staff of the Ghana Armed Forces and also a member of the Supreme Military Council which ruled Ghana between 1975 and 1979. He was executed in 1979, following a...

 
9 October 1975 - November 1976
November 1976 - July 1978
Chief of Naval Staff
Ghana Navy
The Ghana Navy is the naval force of the West African nation of Ghana. The navy, along with the Ghana Army and Ghana Air Force, make up the Ghana Armed Forces.-History:...

 
Rear Admiral C.K. Dzang
C.K. Dzang
Rear Admiral Chemogoh Kevin Dzang was born at Nandom in the Upper West Region of Ghana. He is a retired naval Officer and a former Chief of Naval Staff of the Ghana Navy...


Rear Admiral Joy Kobla Amedume 
9 October 1975 - June 1977
June 1977 - July 1978
Chief of Air Staff
Ghana Air Force
The Ghana Air Force is the air force of the African nation of Ghana. The GAF, along with the Ghanaian Army and Navy, make up the armed forces of Ghana which are controlled by that nation's Ministry of Defence....

 
Brigadier Charles Beausoliel
Air Vice Marshal George Yaw Boakye 
9 October 1975 - 11 November 1976
12 November 1976 - 5 July 1978
Border Guards Commander Major General E. K. Utuka 
Inspector General of Police
Inspector General of Police of the Ghana Police Service
The 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...

 
Ernest Ako
Benjamin Samuel Kofi Kwakye 
9 October 1975 - July 1978
July 1978 – June 1979



The various commissioners were designated as members of the National Redemption Council as membership of the SMC was limited to the Head of State, the Inspector General of Police and the various military service commanders.


List of commissioners (NRC members)

Office Name Dates
Commissioner 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....

 
Major Roger Felli  1975 - ?
Commissioner for Internal Affairs
Inspector General of Police
Inspector General of Police of the Ghana Police Service
The 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...

 
Ernest Ako
Benjamin Samuel Kofi Kwakye 
9 October 1975 - July 1978
July 1978 – June 1979
Commissioner for Defence Colonel Kutu Acheampong  9 October 1975 - July 1978
Attorney-General and
Commissioner for Justice
Edward Nathaniel Moore  9 October 1975 - ?
Commissioner for Finance and Economic Affairs Colonel Kutu Acheampong
Robert K.A. Gardiner
Robert Gardiner
Robert Gardiner may refer to:*Robert Gardiner * Sir Robert Septimus Gardiner , English businessman*Robert Gardiner actor in Maidstone who plays a Secret Service Chief*Robert Gardiner of Gardiner's Island...


J. L. S. Abbey 
9 October 1975 - ?
? – ?
? – ?
Commissioner for Local Government Lt. Col. B. K. Ahlijah
Lt. Col. K. A. Jackson
C. K. Tedam 
9 October 1975 - ?
? – ?
? – ?
Commissioner for Agriculture Lt. Col. Paul K. Nkegbe
Major General Neville Alexander Odartey-Wellington
Colonel Samuel Akwagiram 
? – ?
? – ?
? – ?
Commissioner for Health Colonel J. C. Adjeitey
Lt. Colonel Anthony Hugh Selormey Abayifaa Karbo
Commissioner for Labour, Social Welfare and Co-operatives Rear Admiral Joy Kobla Amedume
Nii Anyetei Kwakwranya 
Commissioner for Lands and Mineral Resources Group Captain T. T. Kutin
Brigadier K. Osei-Boateng
Lt. Col. Abdulai Ibrahim 
Commissioner for Industry Colonel George Minyila
Colonel B. K. Ahlijah 
Commissioner for Works and Housing Lt. Col. K. A. Jackson
Major Edward Yirimambo 
Commissioner for Trade and Tourism Colonel K. E. Quarshie 
Commissioner for Transport and Communications Colonel David A. Iddisah
Group Captain T. T. Kutin
Eric R.K. Dwemoh 
Commissioner for Education, Culture and Sports Lieutenant-Colonel Paul Nkegbe 
Commissioner for Education, Youth and Sports Ellis Owusu-Fordwor 
Commissioner for Information Major General Robert E. A. Kotei
Robert Kotei
Major General Robert Ebenezer Abossey Kotei was a soldier, politician and track and field athlete. He was once the Chief of Defence Staff of the Ghana Armed Forces and also a member of the Supreme Military Council which ruled Ghana between 1975 and 1979. He was executed in 1979, following a...


Colonel Parker H.S. Yarney 
Commissioner for Sports Colonel Kutu Acheampong
Commissioner for Cocoa Affairs Captain J. A. Kyeremeh 
Commissioner for SMC Affairs E. K. Buckman 
Commissioner and Special Advisor to the Head of State Joe Emmanuel Appiah
Joe Appiah
Nana Joseph Emmanuel "Joe" Appiah, MP was a Ghanaian lawyer, politician and statesman. He was born in Kumasi to Nana James Appiah and Nana Adwoa Akyaa, members of the Ashanti imperial aristocracy...

 
Commissioner for Consumer Affairs Kofi Badu 
Commissioner for Fuel and Power Lieutenant-Colonel Abdulai Ibrahim 

Regional Commissioners

Ashanti Region
Ashanti Region
The Ashanti Region is the third largest of 10 administrative regions in Ghana, occupying a total land surface of 24389 square kilometers or 10.2 per cent of the total land area of Ghana. In terms of population, however, it is the most populated region with a population of 3,612,950 in 2000,...

Major R. Kujiku
Commander Godwin E. Osei
Brong Ahafo Region  Lieutenant-Colonel O. K. Abrefa
Central Region
Central Region (Ghana)
The Central Region is one of Ghana's ten administrative regions. It is bordered by the Ashanti and Eastern regions to the north, Western region to the west, Greater Accra region to the east, and to the south by the Atlantic Ocean.-Districts:...

 
Major Dawuni 
Eastern Region
Eastern Region (Ghana)
The Eastern Region is one of Ghana's ten administrative regions. It covers an area of 19,323 square kilometres, which is about 8.1% of Ghana's total land area. The region is divided into administrative districts. The total number of districts were increased from 17 districts to 21...

 
Commander G. E. Osei
Greater Accra Region
Greater Accra Region
The Greater Accra Region is the smallest of Ghana's 10 administrative regions in terms of area, occupying a total land surface of 3,245 square kilometres or 1.4 per cent of the total land area of Ghana...

 
Major R. Kujiku
Northern Region
Northern Region
Northern Region may refer to:*Northern Region, Ghana*Northern Region, Eastern Cape, South Africa*Northern Region, Malawi*Northern Region, Manitoba, Canada, a region situated on the Canadian Shield including Manitoba's Hudson Bay coastline...

 
Lieutenant-Colonel R. Zumah
Upper Region Lieutenant-Colonel M. Ofori-Akuamoah
Volta Region
Volta Region
Volta Region is one of Ghana's ten administrative regions. It is to the east of Lake Volta. Its capital is Ho.-List of districts:The region has 18 districts consisting of 3 municipal and 15 ordinary districts:-Background:...

 
Lieutenant-Colonel G. K. Amevor
Western Region
Western Region (Ghana)
The Western Region of Ghana, reaching from the Côte d'Ivoire border in the west to the Central Region in the east, includes the large twin city of Sekondi-Takoradi on the coast, coastal Axim, and a hilly inland area including Elubo. It includes Ghana's southernmost location, Cape Three Points,...

 
Lieutenant-Commander John A.K. Otoo


Palace coup

Following a bloodless palace coup on 5 July 1978, the SMC was reconstituted. General Acheeampng was forced to resign as head of state and placed under house arrest. This government remained in power until its overthrow eleven months later by the 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...

 on 4 June 1979.


SMC II members (July 1978 to June 1979)

Office Name Dates
Head of state and Chairman Lieutenant General Fred W. K. Akuffo 5 July 1978 - 4 June 1979
Chief of the Defence Staff
Chief of the Defence Staff (Ghana)
The Chief of the Defence Staff is the professional head of the Ghana Armed Forces. He is thus responsible for the administration and the operational control and command of the Ghana military. The Ghana Army was formed after World War II out of the Gold Coast Regiment of the Royal West African...

 
Major General Robert E. A. Kotei
Lieutenant General Joshua Hamidu
Joshua Hamidu
Lieutenant General Joshua Mahamadu Hamidu is a former Chief of Defence Staff and member of the Supreme Military Council government. He was appointed National Security Advisor to the Kufuor government in 2001. He has also been the chairman of the Narcotics Control Board of Ghana. He is also on...

 
5 July 1978 - 23 July 1978
July 1978 - 4 June 1979
Chief of Army Staff
Ghana Army
The Ghana Army is the army of the West African nation of Ghana. In 1959, two years after the Gold Coast obtained independence as Ghana, the Gold Coast Regiment was withdrawn from the Royal West African Frontier Force, and formed the basis for the new Ghanaian Army...

 
Major General Neville Alexander Odartey-Wellington   5 July 1978 - 4 June 1979
Chief of Naval Staff
Ghana Navy
The Ghana Navy is the naval force of the West African nation of Ghana. The navy, along with the Ghana Army and Ghana Air Force, make up the Ghana Armed Forces.-History:...

 
Rear Admiral Joy Kobla Amedume 5 July 1978 - 4 June 1979
Chief of Air Staff
Ghana Air Force
The Ghana Air Force is the air force of the African nation of Ghana. The GAF, along with the Ghanaian Army and Navy, make up the armed forces of Ghana which are controlled by that nation's Ministry of Defence....

 
Air Vice Marshal George Yaw Boakye 5 July 1978 - 4 June 1979
Border Guards Commander Major General E. K. Utuka / Major General K. Osei Boateng 5 July 1978 - 4 June 1979
Inspector General of Police
Inspector General of Police of the Ghana Police Service
The 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...

 
Ernest Ako
Benjamin Samuel Kofi Kwakye  
July 1978
17 July 1978 - 4 June 1979


Sources

  • Some of the information here was originally on the German Wikipedia.

External sources

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
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