Ghanaian First Republic

In the history of Ghana, the First Ghanaian Republic, officially the Republic of Ghana, was founded on 1 July 1960, by the Convention People's Party (CPP). CPP was the Ghanaian Republic governing political party under Kwame Nkrumah of the autonomous self-governance Gold Coast from 1951 to 1957, and independent Ghana from 1957 to 1966. In 1964 the Constitution of Ghana was changed to make the CPP the only legal political party in Ghana, making the nation a one-party state. The First Ghanaian Republic lasted until 24 February 1966 overthrowing of the 1st President of Ghana Kwame Nkumah by the GAF fraction National Liberation Council.

Commencing of Republicanism in Ghana

The Unification of Gold Coast and British Togoland upon independence from Britain, took place from 6 March 1957 to 1 July 1960. Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II who was the incumbent, was represented by: Sir Charles Noble Arden-Clarke, as Governor-General of Ghana, from 6 March 1957 to 24 June 1957. The William Hare, 5th Earl of Listowel, William Francis Hare, (Lord Listowel), also served as the Governor-General of Ghana from 24 June 1957 to 1 July 1960. Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah served as Prime Minister of Ghana from 1957 to 1960. Kwame Nkrumah became the 1st President of Ghana, in 1960, after Ghana became a Republic on 1 July 1960. Ghana spearheaded the political advancement of Africa, and Dr. Nkrumah laid the foundations for the unity later expressed in the formation of the Organization of African Unity (OAU). Kwame Nkrumah was a firm supporter of the Commonwealth and the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM).

Convention People's Party

The United Gold Coast Convention (UGCC) was formed on 4 August 1947 with the goal of bringing AbOUT independence for Ghana. Kwame Nkrumah thought the UGCC's opposition to the colonial rulers lacked the necessary vehemence and urgency; he wanted immediate independence. Breaking from the UGCC on these grounds, he founded the CPP with the motto "self-government now". On 9 January 1950, the Convention People's Party (CPP) called for countrywide boycotts and strikes. In the course of these, two policemen were shot dead, and the CPP leadership was arrested and imprisoned. This only increased Nkrumah's popularity. When general elections were held in 1951, the CPP won decisively, despite the imprisonment of Dr Nkrumah and other party leaders. Nkrumah was subsequently released to form Gold Coast's first African government.

With all this background, Kwame Nkrumah formed his first African cabinet in Gold Coast in 1951. This was not independence yet as Nkrumah still rejected the idea that local rulers who favoured the British should be given a role in governing, since he viewed them as undemocratic. Ironically, Nkrumah would eventually become head of a one-party state. In 1956, further elections were held, with the United Kingdom promising that if the majority of the people called for it, a date for independence would be set. The CPP won 71 out 104 seats, paving the way for Ghana to gain its independence on 6 March 1957. In 1958, two pieces of legislation approved by the CPP would help hasten Nkrumah's downfall. One was the Trade Union Act, which made strikes illegal, and the Preventive Detention Act, which allowed the government to detain political opponents without trial. The final step was heavily rigged referendum in 1964 which made the CPP the only legal party, with Nkrumah as president for life of both nation and party. The stage was set for the overthrow of the CPP as Kwame Nkrumah's term of office came to an end on 24 February 1966, when Major-General Joseph Arthur Ankrah and Lieutenant-General Emmanuel Kwasi Kotoka impeached him in a military operation Operation Cold Chop executed by a coalition of the Ghana armed forces and the Ghana state police. Major-General Joseph Arthur Ankrah, Chairman of the National Liberation Council (NLC), came to power, under military rule, in February 1966. In 1967, he was forced to resign as Chairman of NLC; the National Liberation Council (NLC), headed by Lieutenant-General Joseph Arthur Ankrah, was formed to administer Ghana.

See also

• Years in Ghana