Second Republic of Ghana
Second Republic of Ghana: President Kwame Nkrumah led the Convention People’s Party (CPP) in Ghana until a coup d’état deposed it on February 24, 1966. Colonel E. K. Kotoka, Major A. A. Afrifa, and the other coup leaders formed the National Liberation Council (NLC) to administer the country until the establishment of the second republic in 1969.
Also Read: Republic Of Ghana: Battle from Colonization To Freedom Resistance, 1875–1901
Knowing full well the consequences of this first military intervention in civil administration, Major Afrifa (later promoted to the rank of general) wrote in support of the security personnel who staged the coup. Kwame Nkrumah faced criticism for politicizing the armed forces following the deployment of Ghanaian troops to the Congo in the early 1960s. Afrifa asserted that Nkrumah had no authority to intervene in internal affairs such as the Congo problem and the nationalist battles in Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe), where plans were underway to send more troops.
Critics criticized the president for his unduly ambitious goal of becoming the first president of a long-awaited African United States. Nkrumah faced accusations of authoritarian behavior on the internal front. The implementation of the 1958 Preventive Detention Act, which permitted political opponents to be imprisoned without trial, was one of the examples given. The 1960 republican constitution gave Nkrumah considerable power as president.
Because of constitutional reforms, the president was able to push opponents like K. A. Busia into exile. In 1965, the president captured and imprisoned another competitor, J. B. Dankwa. As a result of these actions, the president faced accusations of irresponsibly harming the nation and obstructing constitutional mechanisms that could challenge his overwhelming control over national affairs.
While agreeing that the CPP utilized repression to secure power, left-wing thinkers like Bob Fitch and Mary Oppenheimer analyzed Ghana’s difficulties in other ways. In their book Ghana: End of an Illusion, they highlighted the administration’s failure to rebuild the economic institutions entrusted to it by the colonial authority during the first half of its existence (1957–1961). In the immediate post-independence period, Ghana lost vital momentum toward true freedom by cultivating a neocolonial economic system.
Also Read: Republic Of Ghana: Battle from Colonization To Freedom Resistance, 1875–1901
While Fitch and Oppenheimer considered the 1961 socialist “Seven Year Plan for Work and Happiness” to be the more realistic approach for the country’s self-sufficiency, the experts believed Ghana’s departure from its colonial heritage was only temporary. Despite these opposing views, the coup leaders regarded Nkrumah’s economic centralization contained in the seven-year plan as problematic. The NLC overturned communist policies and vigorously supported pro-Western private sector initiatives.
In reality, in his book Ghana under Military Rule, 1966-1969, Robert Pinkley argues that the NLC saw Ghana’s economic issues as symptoms of a larger problem—the prior administration’s political dictatorship. The solution was to establish a properly organized civilian administration. Only three days after seizing power, the NLC stated its intention to hand over control to an appropriately elected administration. In the interim, Nkrumah’s Preventive Detention Act was repealed, and the NLC sought public input on governance.
During its three years in office, the military governed with the assistance of a network of advisory bodies, several commissions, and investigation committees. They also formed a commission to recommend a constitution, and in 1969, they returned the country to civilian rule. Despite the NLC’s impressive commitment to reestablishing constitutional rule, the effort to address national problems through committees and commissions resulted in the formation of numerous powerful pressure groups that the next administration had to deal with.
Furthermore, the NLC administration progressively assigned military and police officers to public positions previously held by civilians, indicating an official politicization of the Ghana Armed Forces. August 1969 saw the approval of the second republic’s constitution. In this liberal structure, the president served as a ceremonial head of state. The prime minister was the head of government, with the authority to appoint his own ministers.
The authorization also extended to a house of chiefs. Overall, powers previously held by the presidency became more widely distributed. Thus, many people agreed that parliamentary democracy had returned when Ghana’s second republic began in October 1969. In 1969, K. A. Busia emerged as prime minister, having previously led the opposition United Party (UP) in the early years of the first republic.
Also Read: Republic Of Ghana: Battle from Colonization To Freedom Resistance, 1875–1901
We expected Busia’s international reputation as a scholar par excellence and his pro-Western leanings to provide external support in resolving Ghana’s rising economic challenges. Above all, with the PP holding 105 of the 140 parliamentary seats, we expected the ruling party to promptly address national crises.
In fact, with democracy restored, the public’s attention shifted to the country’s catastrophic economic situation, which they demanded the government handle as soon as possible. To create more jobs and open up the private sector to locals, the administration ordered the expulsion of all illegal foreigners from Ghana less than a month after entering office. The administration also requested American and European creditors to explore alternative solutions for Ghana’s foreign debts.
In its efforts to reorganize the public sector, the administration removed 568 civil servants. Under Nkrumah’s liberal education policy, university students, who had previously received free tuition and board, were also required to pay for their studies. In July 1971, the government proposed an austerity budget that called for the elimination of benefits while raising taxes. The government’s inability to persuade the population that these were required acts caused many to question the logic of such programs.
Two of Ghana’s most strong pressure groups, the National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), were staunch supporters of the economic policies. In some circles, Nkrumah was missed. In response to the brewing situation, the regime prohibited any direct or indirect mention of Nkrumah or the CPP. The regime also planned firm measures to prevent the TUC from criticizing the austerity budget through strike action.
While many may have been angry or even saddened by the country’s severe economic situation, the announcement on January 13, 1972, that the military had seized power caught many off guard. Colonel I. K. Achaempong and his National Redemption Council repealed Ghana’s second republic constitution and initiated the next phase of military rule, citing an economic crisis and a fall in benefits for the armed services.
Also Read: Republic Of Ghana: Battle from Colonization To Freedom Resistance, 1875–1901
