National Redemption Council

The NRC came into power through a bloodless coup d'état, led by Acheampong, which overthrew the democratically elected Progress Party (PP) government of Dr. K. A. Busia, taking place while Dr. Busia was in the United Kingdom for medical reasons. The constitution was suspended and all political parties banned. One of the main grievances leading to the coup had been the currency devaluations undertaken under the PP regime.{{cite web |url=http://lcweb2.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?frd/cstdy:@field(DOCID+gh0028) |title=Ghana - The National Redemption Council Years, 1972-79 |access-date=2007-03-20 |date =November 1994 |work=Library of Congress Studies Country Profile |publisher=Federal Research Division, Library of Congressm, USA}}

Acheampong is reported to have been promoted to Colonel just two days prior to the coup to "secure his loyalty" for the Busia government. He was also the commander of the First Infantry Brigade at the time (now Southern Command of the Ghana Army). He collaborated with three officers, Major Agbo, Major Baah and Major Selormey, whose military units were vital for the bloodless coup. Agbo is quoted as stating that Acheampong was brought in at the latter stages to support the coup.{{cite book |last1=Singh |first1=Naunihal |title=Seizing power : the strategic logic of military coups |date=26 August 2014 |publisher=Johns Hopkins University Press |location=Baltimore, Maryland |isbn=978-1421413365 |pages=89 & 139}} Agbo was the second-in-command of the First Infantry Battalion at Tema, Selormey was the second-in-command of the armored regiment and Baah was the second-in-command of the Fifth Infantry Battalion in Accra.{{cite book |last=Bennet |first=Valerie Plave |editor1-last=Austin |editor1-first=Dennis |editor2-last=Luckham |editor2-first=Robin |title=Politicians and Soldiers in Ghana, 1966–1972 |date=1975 |publisher=Frank Cass and Company Limited|location=London |isbn=978-0714630496 |page=305|chapter=Epilogue:Malcontents in Uniform}} Acheampong stated in the nationwide broadcast to announce the coup that:

I bring you good tidings; Busia's hypocrisy has been detected. We, in the Ghana Armed Forces, have today taken over the Government from Busia and his ruling Progress Party. With immediate effect, the Constitution is withdrawn, Parliament is dissolved, the Progress Party and all political parties are banned.

On 9 October 1975, the NRC was replaced by the Supreme Military Council.{{cite encyclopedia |url=http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-76830 |title= Ghana |access-date=2007-03-20 |year=2007 |encyclopedia=Encyclopædia Britannica Online |publisher=Encyclopædia Britannica }} Its composition consisted of Acheampong, the chairman, who was also promoted straight from Colonel to General. The others included the military hierarchy including all military service commanders such as Lt. Gen. Akuffo the Chief of Defence Staff, and the army, navy, air force and Border Guards commanders respectively. Some officers were promoted, some changed portfolios and many others were dropped.{{Citation needed|date=June 2023}} The Commanders of the First and Second Infantry Brigades of the Ghana Army were also included.{{cite book |title=Jubilee Ghana : a 50-year news journey thro' graphic. |date=2006 |publisher=Graphic |location=Accra |isbn=9988809786 |page=195}} It is thought that this coup removed Agbo, Baah and Selormey, whom Acheampong had begun to see as a threat. It also made the various service commanders in charge of both the military and the state as there had been some tensions between relatively junior officers in government and the senior commanders of the Armed Forces.

The NRC government embarked on various programmes to help improve the economy. One of its most successful was the "Operation Feed Yourself" programme which encouraged self-reliance on home-grown food by encouraging both large scale and small scale farming. This started well but is ultimately seen as a failure in the end.{{cite book |last1=Owusu-Ansah |first1=David |title=Historical dictionary of Ghana |date=2005 |publisher=Scarecrow Press |location=Lanham, Md. |isbn=978-0-8108-5328-7 |page=196 |edition=3rd}} It was during this era that the National Pledge was also introduced. This was to be recited on national occasions. The government also revalued the national currency which had been devalued by the Busia government by 42 per cent.{{cite book |title=Jubilee Ghana : a 50-year news journey thro' graphic. |date=2006 |publisher=Graphic |location=Accra |isbn=9988-8097-8-6 |page=172}} It also repudiated some of the national debt in February 1972.{{cite book |last1=Owusu-Ansah |first1=David |title=Historical dictionary of Ghana |date=2005 |publisher=Scarecrow Press |location=Lanham, Md. |isbn=978-0-8108-5328-7 |chapter=Chronology |pages=lv-lvi |edition=3rd}} On 4 August 1974, the "Operation Keep Right" was implemented which changed Ghana's road traffic from driving on the left as introduced by the United Kingdom to driving on the right in harmony with its neighbouring West African states where traffic circulation was on the right.{{cite news |title=Ghana Goes Right |newspaper=Daily Telegraph (London) |date= August 5, 1974 |at=Page 13 }} This was supervised by Akuffo who was the Border Guards commander at the time. The NRC government also implemented the official conversion of units of measurement in the country to the metric system on 1 September 1975.{{cite book |title=Jubilee Ghana : a 50-year news journey thro' graphic. |date=2006 |publisher=Graphic |location=Accra |isbn=9988-8097-8-6 |page=193}}

There were several attempts to overthrow the NRC government. None of them resulted in bloodshed. In November 1972, 8 people were found guilty by a military tribunal for plotting to overthrow the government. They were Staff Sergeant S. J. Opon-Nyantekyi, Daniel D. O. Attakora, Emil W. K. Adzima who was the former press secretary to Kofi Busia, George K. A. Ofosu-Amaah, who was a senior lecturer in law at the University of Ghana and Director of the Special Branch (national intelligence unit) in the Busia regime, Private C. Adu Boateng, Sergeant W. Agyare, Private K. Oduro and Sergeant G. Nimako.{{cite book |title=Jubilee Ghana : a 50-year news journey thro' graphic. |date=2006 |publisher=Graphic |location=Accra |isbn=9988-8097-8-6 |page=177}}

In August 1973, Kojo Botsio, a minister in the Nkrumah CPP government together with others was arrested for planning to overthrow the government.

In December 1973, three out of five accused persons were found guilty of subversion by a military tribunal. The guilty were Imoru Ayarna, former leader of the disbanded People's Action Party, Kojo Botsio and John Tettegah. Albert Kwaku Owusu-Boateng was jailed for 30 years for concealing the plot while Air Force Major Alexander A. Awuviri was acquitted and discharged.{{cite book |title=Jubilee Ghana : a 50-year news journey thro' graphic. |date=2006 |publisher=Graphic |location=Accra |isbn=9988-8097-8-6 |page=183}}

In 1976, a coup plot referred to as the "One Man One Matchet" coup was foiled. The plotters included Brigadier Khattah, the leader, who escaped arrest and the others were Kojo Tsikata, a retired Ghana Army captain, Victor Latzoo, a retired lieutenant in the Ghana Army, Staff Sergeant Godfried K. Amereka, Warrant Officer H. Raphael Nyatepeh, Captain Gustav K. Banini, Corporal John Gbeeze, Francis Agboada and Michael Hamenoo.{{cite book |last1=Asamoah |first1=Obed Y. |title=The political history of Ghana (1950-2013) : the experience of a non-conformist |date=2014 |location=Bloomington, IN |isbn=978-1496985644}} Tsikata, Staff Sergeant Godfried Amereka, Warrant Officer Raphael Nyatepeh, Francis Agboada and Michael Hamenoo were sentenced to death. Two others were sentenced to eighteen years in jail.{{cite journal |title=Ghanaian Death Sentence Based On Torture Evidence |journal=Campaign for the Abolition of Torture |date=1 September 1976 |volume=III |issue=9 |page=1 |url=https://www.amnesty.org/en/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/nws210091976en.pdf |access-date=23 December 2021 |publisher=Amnesty International}}

The NRC was made up of Acheampong, the various service commanders of the Ghana Armed Forces, the Inspector General of Police, four other army officers of the rank of Major and a civilian who was the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice.

{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:90%; text-align:left; margin:1em auto;"

|-

| colspan="4" bgcolor="#ccccff" |

|-

! width=200 | Office

! width=400 | Name

! width=150 | Start

! width=150 | End

|-

| Head of state and Chairman || Colonel Ignatius Kutu Acheampong{{cite book |title=Members of the National Redemption Council |year=2006 |publisher=Public Relations Department, Ghana |isbn=9789988809782 |oclc=404100555 }} || 13 January 1972 || 9 October 1975

|-

| Chief of the Defence Staff || Major General N. Y. A. Ashley-Larsen || 13 January 1972 || December 1974{{cite web |title=Past General Officers Commanding /Chiefs of the Defence Staff |url=http://www.gaf.mil.gh/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=57&Itemid=89 |website=www.gaf.mil.gh |publisher=Ghana Armed Forces |access-date=24 February 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130408093329/http://www.gaf.mil.gh/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=57&Itemid=89 |archive-date=8 April 2013}}

|-

| Chief of Army Staff || Colonel Emmanuel Alexander Erskine || 13 January 1972 || ?

|-

| Chief of Naval Staff || Commodore P.F. Quaye || 13 January 1972 || ?

|-

| Chief of Air Staff || Air Commodore Charles Beausoliel || 13 January 1972 || ?

|-

| Inspector General of Police || J. H. Cobbina || 13 January 1972 || September 1974

|-

| Member || Colonel J. C. Adjeitey{{cite web |title=INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT RESEARCH CENTRE COUNTRY PROFILE - GHANA |url=https://idl-bnc-idrc.dspacedirect.org/bitstream/handle/10625/1657/7844.pdf?sequence=1 |publisher=International Development Research Centre |access-date=4 January 2023 |location=Ottawa, Canada |page=5 |date=April 1973}} || 13 January 1972 ||

|-

| Member || Lt. Colonel C.D. Benni{{cite book |title=Jubilee Ghana - A 50-year news journey thru' Graphic |date=2006 |publisher=Graphic Communications Group Ltd |location=Accra, Ghana |isbn=9988809786 |page=171}} || 13 January 1972 || 9 October 1975

|-

| Member || Lt. Colonel Kwame R.M. Baah (then Major)|| 13 January 1972 || 9 October 1975

|-

| Member || Lt. Colonel Anthony Hugh Selormey (then Major)||13 January 1972 ||9 October 1975

|-

| Member || Lt. Colonel K. B. Agbo (then Major)||13 January 1972 || 9 October 1975

|-

| Member || Major General Roger J A Felli || 13 January 1972 || 9 October 1975

|-

| Member || Commander Boham || 13 January 1972 || ?

|-

| Member || Lt. Colonel Barnor{{cite book |editor1-last=Austin |editor1-first=Dennis |editor2-last=Luckham |editor2-first=Robin |title=Politicians and soldiers in Ghana, 1966-1972 |date=1975 |publisher=Cass |location=London |isbn=978-0714630496 |page=304 |edition=1st}} || 1972 ||

|-

| Attorney General & Commissioner for Justice; Member || E. N. Moore ||13 January 1972 || 9 October 1975

|}

{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:90%; text-align:left; margin:1em auto;"

|-

| bgcolor="#ccccff" colspan="6" |

|-

! width=200 | Office

! width=400 | Name

! width=150 | Start

! width=150 | End

|-

|rowspan=2| Commissioner for Foreign Affairs || Major General Nathan Apea Aferi || 1972 || 1972

|-

|Major Kwame Baah{{cite journal |title=Ghanan and GDR Sign Trade Agreement |journal=Ghana News |date=31 March 1974 |volume=6 |issue=6/74 |page=3 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rEEuAQAAIAAJ&dq=%22ghana+news%22+NRC&pg=RA7-PA6 |access-date=28 December 2021 |publisher=Embassy of Ghana |location=Washington DC}} || 1972 || 9 October 1975

|-

|rowspan=2| Commissioner for Internal Affairs and
Inspector General of Police || J. H. Cobbina{{cite book |last1=Paxton |first1=J. |title=The Statesman's Year-Book 1972-73 |date=14 Sep 1972 |publisher=Macmillan |isbn=978-0333124062 |page=309 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=l43JDQAAQBAJ&q=%22J+H+Cobbina%22&pg=PA309 |access-date=22 August 2019}} || 13 January 1972 || September 1974

|-

| Ernest Ako || September 1974 || October 1975

|-

| Commissioner for Defence || Colonel Kutu Acheampong || 13 January 1972 || 9 October 1975

|-

| Attorney-General and
Commissioner for Justice|| Edward Nathaniel Moore || 13 January 1972 || 9 October 1975

|-

|rowspan=3| Commissioner for Finance and Economic Affairs || Colonel Kutu Acheampong{{cite book |last1=Amamoo |first1=Joseph Godson |title=Ghana 50 Years of Independence |date=8 October 2013 |publisher=Xlibiris |isbn=978-1-4500-8760-5 |page=201 |edition=2nd |chapter=Chapter Seven: The Acheampong Regime}}|| 13 January 1972 || ?

|-

| Major Roger J. A. Felli{{cite book |title=Jubilee Ghana - 50-year news journey thro' Graphic |date=2006 |publisher=Graphic Communications Group Ltd |location=Accra, Ghana |isbn=9988809786 |page=184}} || {{circa|1974}} ||

|-

| Amon Nikoi
(Commissioner for Finance and Economic Planning) || ? || 9 October 1975

|-

| rowspan=2| Commissioner for Local Government || Colonel Victor Coker-Appiah{{cite book |title=Know your commissioners. |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/404100564 |publisher=Public Relations Dept., Accra |access-date=12 April 2021 |language=English |date=1972|oclc=404100564 }} || {{circa|1972}} ||

|-

| Major General Nathan Aferi || 13 January 1972 || 9 October 1975

|-

|rowspan=3| Commissioner for Agriculture{{cite web |url=http://mofa.gov.gh/site/?page_id=6713 |title=Former Heads of MoFA |access-date=7 August 2012 |work=Official website |publisher=Ministry of Food and Agriculture}} || Major-General Daniel Addo || 1972 || 1973

|-

| Colonel Frank Bernasko ||1973 || 1975

|-

| Lt. Col Paul Nkegbe || 1975 ||

|-

|rowspan=2| Commissioner for Health || Colonel J. C. Adjeitey|| ? || ?

|-

| Lt. Colonel Anthony Hugh Selormey{{cite book |title=Jubilee Ghana : a 50-year news journey thro' graphic. |date=2006 |publisher=Graphic |location=Accra |isbn=9988809786 |page=185}} || 1 May 1973 || 9 October 1975

|-

| rowspan=2| Commissioner for Labour, Social Welfare and Co-operatives|| Major Kwame Asante{{cite book |title=Jubilee Ghana : a 50-year news journey thro' graphic. |date=2006 |publisher=Graphic |location=Accra |isbn=9988809786 |page=174}} || 1972 || 1973

|-

| Major K. B. Agbo || 1973 || 9 October 1975

|-

| rowspan=2|Commissioner for Lands and Mineral Resources || Major Kwame Baah || {{circa|1972}} ||

|-

| Major General D. C. K. Amenu{{cite journal |editor1-last=Nkrumah |editor1-first=I. K. |title='Enforce Forestry Laws' |journal=Daily Graphic |date=6 December 1974 |issue=7513 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FnYJf1YIyyQC&dq=%22victor+coker-appiah%22&pg=PP16 |access-date=9 October 2022 |publisher=Graphic Communications Group |location=Accra |language=en}} || ? || 9 October 1975

|-

|rowspan=2| Commissioner for Industry || Major K. B. Agbo || 1972 || ?

|-

| Lt. Col. George Minyila|| ? || 9 October 1975

|-

| rowspan=3 | Commissioner for Works and Housing || Major Roger Felli || 1972 || 1972

|-

| Colonel Victor Coker-Appiah || 1972 || 1974

|-

| Colonel R. E. A. Kotei{{cite book |title=Jubilee Ghana - 50-year news journey thro' Graphic |date=2006 |publisher=Graphic Communications Group Ltd |location=Accra, Ghana |isbn=9988809786 |page=185}} || ? || 9 October 1975

|-

| rowspan=2| Commissioner for Trade and Tourism || Major Roger Felli || 1972 || ?

|-

| Lt. Colonel D. A. Iddisah || 1974 || 9 October 1975

|-

| rowspan=3 | Commissioner for Transport and Communications || Lt. Col. Anthony Selormey{{cite book |title=Jubilee Ghana : a 50-year news journey thro' graphic. |date=2006 |publisher=Graphic |location=Accra |isbn=9988809786 |page=188}} ||1972 || 1973

|-

| Major Kwame Asante || 1973 || April 1974

|-

| Colonel Peter Kwame Agyekum || April 1974 || 9 October 1975

|-

| rowspan=2 | Commissioner for Education, Culture and Sports || Lieutenant-Colonel Paul Nkegbe{{cite book |title=Jubilee Ghana - 50-year news journey thru' Graphic |date=2006 |publisher=Graphic Communications Group Ltd |location=Accra, Ghana |isbn=9988809786 |page=182}}
|| {{circa|1973}} ||

|-

| Colonel Emmanuel Obeng Nyante{{cite journal |editor1-last=Paxton |editor1-first=John |title=Ghana |journal=The Statesman's Year-Book: Statistical and Historical Annual of the States of the World for the Year 1974–1975 |date=1974 |pages=310–316 |doi=10.1057/9780230271036|url=https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1057/9780230271036_20 |access-date=12 December 2022 |publisher=Palgrave Macmillan UK |isbn=9780230271036 |language=en}}
(Commissioner for Education, Youth and Culture) || ? || 9 October 1975

|-

| rowspan=2| Commissioner for Information ||Colonel Kutu Acheampong || ? ||

|-

| Colonel C. R. Tachie-Menson || 1974 || 9 October 1975

|-

| rowspan=2 | Commissioner for Cocoa Affairs || Colonel Frank Bernasko || ||

|-

| Commander J. A. Kyeremeh || ? || October 1975

|-

| rowspan=2| Commissioner for NRC Affairs || Lt. Colonel C.D. Benni{{cite web |title=INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT RESEARCH CENTRE COUNTRY PROFILE - GHANA |url=https://idl-bnc-idrc.dspacedirect.org/bitstream/handle/10625/1657/7844.pdf?sequence=1 |publisher=International Development Research Centre |access-date=4 January 2023 |location=Ottawa, Canada |page=6 |date=April 1973}} || ||

|-

| E. K. Buckman || ? || October 1975

|}

{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:90%; text-align:left; margin:1em auto;"

|-

| bgcolor="#ccccff" colspan="6" |

|-

! width=200 | Office

! width=400 | Name

! width=150 | Start

! width=150 | End

|-

| rowspan=2 | Ashanti Regional Commissioner || Lt. Colonel E. A. Baidoo || January 1972 || May 1974

|-

| Commander Joy K. Amedume{{cite book |title=Jubilee Ghana : a 50-year news journey thro' graphic. |date=2006 |publisher=Graphic |location=Accra |isbn=9988809786 |page=187}} || May 1974 || 9 October 1975

|-

| rowspan=3 | Brong Ahafo Region || Commander J. A. Kyeremeh || 1972 || 1974

|-

| Lt. Col. Victor Coker Appiah || 1974 || 30 April 1975

|-

| Lt. Col. O. K. Abrefa || May 1975 || October 1975

|-

| rowspan=3 | Central Region || Colonel Frank Bernasko || 1972 || 1973

|-

| Commander Joy Amedume || 1973 || May 1974

|-

| Lt. Col. E. A. Baidoo || May 1974 || 9 October 1975

|-

| rowspan=3 | Eastern Region || Colonel Emmanuel Obeng Nyante || 1972 || ?

|-

| Lt. Col. George Minyila || 1973 || 1975

|-

|Lt. Col. Kweku Adade Takyi || 1975 || October 1975

|-

| rowspan="2" | Greater Accra Regional Commissioner || Col. W. C. O. Acquaye-Nortey || 14 January 1972 || 29 May 1972

|-

| Lt. Colonel Philip K. D. Habadah{{cite book |title=Jubilee Ghana - 50-year news journey thro' Ghana |date=2006 |publisher=Graphic Communications Group Ltd |location=Accra, Ghana |isbn=9988809786 |page=185}}|| 30 May 1972 || 9 October 1975

|-

| rowspan=3 | Northern Regional Commissioner || Lt. Colonel D. A. Iddisah || 1972 || ?

|-

| Col. P. K. Agyekum || 1973 || April 1974

|-

| Lt. Col. Festus F. Addae || April 1974 || 9 October 1975

|-

| rowspan=3 | Upper Region || Lt. Colonel George Minyila|| 1972 || ?

|-

| Col. W. C. O. Acquaye-Nortey ||30 May 1972 || 30 August 1975

|-

| Major Michael Ofori-Akuamoah || ? || October 1975

|-

| rowspan=3 | Volta Regional Commissioner || Major Philip K. D. Habadah || 1972 || May 1973

|-

| Colonel E. O. Nyante{{cite web |last1=AKPAKLI |first1=INNOCENT |title=Creation of New Regions ( Volta at a glance) |url=https://ghtrendz.com/creation-of-new-regions-volta-at-a-glance/ |website=GhTrendz.com |access-date=4 January 2023 |date=19 September 2017}} || May 1973 || January 1974

|-

| Col. J. A. Kabore{{cite book |last1=Nugent |first1=Paul Christopher |title="National Integration and the Vicissitudes of State Power in Ghana: The Political Incorporation of Likpe, a Border Community, 1945-19B6" - A Thesis Submitted for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London |date=October 1991 |publisher=ProQuest LLC |page=201 |url=https://eprints.soas.ac.uk/28445/1/10672604.pdf |access-date=13 December 2022}} || January 1974 || 9 October 1975

|-

| rowspan=3 | Western Region || Colonel P. A. Agyekum || 1972 || ?

|-

| Commander J. A. Kyeremeh || 1974 ||

|-

| Col. W. C. O. Acquaye-Nortey ||1 September 1975 || 9 October 1975

|-

|}

• The NRC introduced the Ghana National Pledge.
• Operation Feed Yourself - an Agricultural campaign for national self-sufficiency in food supplies.
• Operation Keep Right - The changeover from driving on the left to the right which occurred on 4 August 1974.

{{s-start}}

{{succession box|title=Government of Ghana
(Military Regime)|before=Busia government (1969-1972)|after=Supreme Military Council (1975–1978)|years=1972 – 1975}}

{{s-end}}

{{Ghana governments}}

{{Reflist}}

• [http://www.worldstatesmen.org/Ghana.html Members of NRC on WorldStatesMan.org]
• [https://b-ok.africa/book/6040512/df9e12 The National Redemption Council(NRC) Charter]

{{s-start}}

{{succession box|title=Government of Ghana
(Military Regime)|before=Busia government (1969–1972)|after=Supreme Military Council (1975–1979)|years=January 1972 – October 1975}}

{{s-end}}

{{Ghana governments}}

{{African coups d'état}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Military of Ghana

Category:Military coups in Ghana

Category:Politics of Ghana

Category:Government of Ghana

Category:1975 in Ghana

Category:1972 establishments in Ghana

Category:1975 disestablishments

Category:1970s coups d'état and coup attempts

Category:Military dictatorships