Sankofa Series: A history of Ghana’s 4 republics

On Wednesday, March 6, 2024, Ghana marked the 67th anniversary of its independence from the rule of the country’s British colonial masters.

For these 67 years, however, Ghana has not been completely “independent” or “free”, for the want of a better word.

In other words, Ghana has not been a republic – a state in which supreme power is held by the people and their elected representatives, and which has an elected or nominated president rather than a monarch – for the entire 67 years of its independence.

With these 67 years of independence, Ghana has been a republic for only about 42 years. For the first three years of Ghana’s independence, the country was still under the rule of the British, with the late Queen Elizabeth II being the country’s head of state and Dr Kwame Nkrumah being the prime minister.

The country also saw about 22 years of military dictatorship within the period it gained independence from the British.

Below is a brief history of Ghana’s journey through the republics and military dictatorships:

1st Republic:



Ghana after its independence in 1957 became a republic with the country’s first President, Dr Kwame Nkrumah, replacing the Queen of England as the executive head of state on July 1st, 1960. The 1st Republic of Ghana lasted for about 6 years, from 1960 to 1966.

The late Dr Nkrumah was deposed as president through a coup on February 24, 1966, by Lieutenant-General Joseph Arthur Ankrah of the National Liberation Movement (NLM). The first parliament of the 1st Republic was dissolved and General Ankrah ruled the country for over 3 years from February 24, 1966 to April 2, 1969.

General Ankrah resigned on April 2, 1969, and was replaced by Brigadier Akwasi Afrifa, the new Chairman of the NLC, who was the military leader of Ghana for 154 days, from April 2, 1969, to September 3, 1969.

2nd Republic:



Brigadier Akwasi Afrifa ushered Ghana into its 3rd Republic which lasted for three years, from 1969 to 1972. Throughout the three years of the 2nd Republic, Ghana had three ceremonial presidents and one prime minister, Dr. Kofi Abrefa Busia.

Brigadier Afrifa, as the chairman of the Presidential Commission, was Ghana’s president for less than a year, from September 3, 1969, to August 7, 1970. Nii Amaa Ollennu was the President of Ghana from August 7, 1970, to August 31, 1970 (24 days). Edward Akufo-Addo was president for 1 year and 135 days, from August 31, 1970, to January 13, 1972.

Prime Minister Busia and the 3rd president of the 2nd Republic, Edward Akufo-Addo, were removed by General Ignatius Kutu Acheampong, the head of the National Redemption Council (NRC), in a military coup on January 13, 1972.

General Acheampong ruled Ghana for 6 years and 173 days, about 3 years as the chairman of the NRC and the remaining as the chairman of the Supreme Military Council (SMC).

Acheampong was removed in a palace coup by Lieutenant General Fred Akuffo who became the chairman of the SMC and ruled Ghana for 334 days, from July 5, 1978, to June 4, 1979.

Lieutenant General Akuffo was also removed by Flight Lieutenant Jerry John Rawlings, the chairman of the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC), in another coup. The late Rawlings was the military leader of Ghana for 112 days, from June 4, 1979, to September 24, 1979.

3rd Republic:

Dr Hilla Limann and JJ Rawlings:

Rawlings ushered Ghana into its 3rd Republic with a democratic election. The late Dr Hilla Limann, who was the flagbearer of the Peoples National Convention (PNC), won the elections and was President of Ghana for 2 years and 98 days, from September 24, 1979, to December 31, 1981.

Dr Limann was removed by Rawlings on December 31, 1981.

Rawlings, the chairman of the Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC), ruled Ghana for 11 years and 7 days.

4th Republic

Presidents of the 4th Republic

Rawlings ushered Ghana into the 4th Republic, which has lasted for over 30 years and has seen 16 democratic elections and 5 presidents.

Rawlings, himself, was the first President of the 4th Republic. He was President of Ghana from January 7, 1993 to January 7, 2001 (8 years).

Rawlings was replaced by John Agyekum Kufuor, who ruled from January 7, 2001, to January 7, 2009 (8 years).

The late Prof John Evans Atta Mills took over from Kufuor and ruled from January 7, 2009, to July 24, 2012 (8 years). Prof Mills died on July 24, 2024, and was replaced by John Dramani Mahama, who was his vice president.

Mahama after saving the remaining 167 days of Prof Mills' term was elected president and was in office from January 7, 2013, to January 7, 2016 (4 years).

The current President of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, took over from Mahama and has been President of Ghana since January 7, 2016.

BAI/OGB

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