List of heads of state of Ghana
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This is a list of the heads of state of Ghana, from the independence of Ghana in 1957 to the present day.
From 1957 to 1960 the head of state under the Constitution of 1957 was the Queen of Ghana, Elizabeth II, who was also the Monarch of the United Kingdom and the other Commonwealth realms. The Queen was represented in Ghana by a Governor-General. Ghana became a republic under the Constitution of 1960 and the Monarch and Governor-General were replaced by an executive President.
Contents
1 Monarch (1957–1960)
1.1 Governor-General
2 First Republic (1960–1966)
3 Military rule (1966–1969)
4 Second Republic (1969–1972)
5 Military rule (1972–1979)
6 Third Republic (1979–1981)
7 Military rule (1981–1993)
8 Fourth Republic (1993–present)
9 Standards
10 Living former heads of state
11 References
12 External links
Monarch (1957–1960)
The succession to the throne was the same as the succession to the British throne.
№ | Monarch (Birth–Death) | Portrait | Reign | Royal House | Prime Minister | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Reign start | Reign end | |||||
1 | Queen Elizabeth II (1926–) | 6 March 1957 | 1 July 1960 | Windsor | Nkrumah |
Governor-General
The Governor-General was the representative of the Monarch in Ghana and exercised most of the powers of the Monarch. The Governor-General was appointed for an indefinite term, serving at the pleasure of the monarch. Since Ghana was granted independence by the Ghana Independence Act 1957, rather than being first established as a semi-autonomous Dominion and later promoted to independence by the Statute of Westminster 1931, the Governor-General was to be always appointed solely on the advice of the Cabinet of Ghana without the involvement of the British government, with the sole exception of Charles Arden-Clarke, the former colonial governor, who served as Governor-General temporarily until he was replaced by William Hare. In the event of a vacancy the Chief Justice served as Officer Administering the Government.
- Status
Denotes Chief Justice acting as Officer Administering the Government
№ | Governor-General (Birth–Death) | Portrait | Tenure | Monarch | Prime Minister | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Took office | Left office | |||||
1 | Sir Charles Arden-Clarke (1898–1962) | 6 March 1957 | 14 May 1957 | Elizabeth II | Nkrumah | |
– | Sir Kobina Arku Korsah (1894–1967) | 14 May 1957 | 13 November 1957 | Elizabeth II | Nkrumah | |
2 | The Rt. Hon. The Earl of Listowel (1906–1997) | 13 November 1957 | 1 July 1960 | Elizabeth II | Nkrumah |
First Republic (1960–1966)
Under the 1960 Constitution, the first constitution of the Republic of Ghana, the President replaced the Monarch as executive head of state. The President was elected by Parliament for a 5-year term. In the event of a vacancy three Members of the Cabinet served jointly as Acting President.
- Status
Denotes three Members of the Cabinet acting jointly as President
№ | President (Birth–Death) | Portrait | Tenure | Elected | Political affiliation (at time of appointment) | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Took office | Left office | ||||||
1 | Kwame Nkrumah (1909–1972) | 1 July 1960 | 26 February 1966 (deposed.) | 1960 1965 | Convention People's Party |
Military rule (1966–1969)
Lieutenant-General Joseph Arthur Ankrah led a coup d'état which overthrew President Nkrumah and his government, all political parties and Parliament were also dissolved.
№ | Head of State (Birth–Death) | Portrait | Tenure | Military | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Took office | Left office | |||||
2 | Lieutenant-General Joseph Arthur Ankrah (1915–1992) | 24 February 1966 | 2 April 1969 (resigned.) | National Liberation Council | ||
3 | Brigadier Akwasi Afrifa (1936–1979) | 2 April 1969 | 3 September 1969 | National Liberation Council |
Second Republic (1969–1972)
- Status
Denotes Speaker of Parliament and acting President
№ | President (Birth–Death) | Portrait | Tenure | Elected | Political affiliation (at time of appointment) | Prime Minister | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Took office | Left office | |||||||
(3) | Brigadier Akwasi Afrifa (1936–1979) | 3 September 1969 | 7 August 1970 | – | Military | Busia | ||
– | Nii Amaa Ollennu (1906–1986) | 7 August 1970 | 31 August 1970 | – | Independent | |||
4 | Edward Akufo-Addo (1906–1979) | 31 August 1970 | 13 January 1972 (deposed.) | – | Independent |
Military rule (1972–1979)
General Ignatius Kutu Acheampong led a coup d'état which overthrew the President Akufo-Addo, Prime Minister Abrefa Busia and his government, all political parties and Parliament was also dissolved.
Lieutenant General Fred Akuffo led a coup d'état which overthrew the General Acheampong then Flight Lieutenant Jerry Rawlings led a coup d'état which overthrown the Supreme Military Council
№ | Head of State (Birth–Death) | Portrait | Tenure | Military | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Took office | Left office | |||||
5 | General Ignatius Kutu Acheampong (1931–1979) | 13 January 1972 | 9 October 1975 | National Redemption Council | ||
9 October 1975 | 5 July 1978 (deposed.) | Supreme Military Council | ||||
6 | Lieutenant-General Fred Akuffo (1937–1979) | 5 July 1978 | 4 June 1979 (deposed.) | Supreme Military Council | ||
7 | Flight Lieutenant Jerry Rawlings (1947–) | 4 June 1979 | 24 September 1979 | Armed Forces Revolutionary Council |
Third Republic (1979–1981)
Under the 1979 Constitution the President is head of both state and government. The President is elected by Ghanaians and serves a four-year term that expires at the next general election; a President may serve a maximum of two terms. In the event of a vacancy the Vice-President serves as Acting President.
- Status
Denotes Vice-President acting as President
№ | President (Birth–Death) | Portrait | Tenure | Elected | Political affiliation (at time of appointment) | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Took office | Left office | ||||||
8 | Hilla Limann (1934–1998) | 24 September 1979 | 31 December 1981 (deposed.) | 1979 | People's National Party |
Military rule (1981–1993)
Flight Lieutenant Jerry Rawlings led a coup d'état which overthrew President Limann and his government, all political parties and Parliament were also dissolved.
№ | Head of State (Birth–Death) | Portrait | Tenure | Military | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Took office | Left office | |||||
(7) | Flight Lieutenant Jerry Rawlings (1947–) | 31 December 1981 | 7 January 1993 | Provisional National Defence Council |
Fourth Republic (1993–present)
Under the current Constitution the President is head of both state and government. The President is elected by Ghanaians and serves a four-year term that expires at the next general election; a President may serve a maximum of two terms. In the event of a vacancy, the Vice-President serves the remaining time as the President.
- Status
Denotes Vice-President acting as President
№ | President (Birth–Death) | Portrait | Tenure | Elected | Political affiliation (at time of appointment) | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Took office | Left office | ||||||
(7) | Jerry Rawlings (1947–) | 7 January 1993 | 7 January 2001 | 1992 1996 | National Democratic Congress | ||
9 | John Kufuor (1938–) | 7 January 2001 | 7 January 2009 | 2000 2004 | New Patriotic Party | ||
10 | John Atta Mills (1944–2012) | 7 January 2009 | 24 July 2012 (died in office) | 2008 | National Democratic Congress | ||
11 | John Mahama (1958–) | 24 July 2012 | 7 January 2017 | 2012 | National Democratic Congress | ||
12 | Nana Akufo-Addo (1944–) | 7 January 2017 | Incumbent | 2016 | New Patriotic Party |
Standards
Governor-General's Standard
Presidential Standard
Living former heads of state
Image | Name | Term/Reign | Office | Date of birth |
---|---|---|---|---|
Elizabeth II | 1957–1960 | Queen of Ghana | (1926-04-21) 21 April 1926 | |
Jerry Rawlings | 1979 1981–1993 1993–2001 | Military ruler President of Ghana | (1947-06-22) 22 June 1947 | |
John Kufuor | 2001–2009 | President of Ghana | (1938-12-08) 8 December 1938 | |
John Dramani Mahama | 2012–2016 | President of Ghana | (1958-11-29) 29 November 1958 |
References
External links
- World Statesmen – Ghana
- Rulers.org – Ghana