List of heads of state of Ghana

• Posted on November 6, 2013November 6, 2013
• by Nana Kwesi Coomson
• Comment

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 -year term. In the event of a vacancy the served as Acting President.

President			Term of office			Political party (at time of election)
#	Portrait	Name	Took office	Left office	Duration
1		Kwame Nkrumah (1909–1972)	1 July 1960	26 February 1966 (Deposed)	5 years, 240 days	Convention People’s Party

Military rule (1966–1969)

Head of State			Term of Office			Military
#	Portrait	Name	Took Office	Left Office	Duration
2		Lieutenant-General Joseph Ankrah (1915–1992)	24 February 1966	2 April 1969	3 years, 37 days	National Liberation Council
3		Brigadier Akwasi Afrifa (1936–1979)	2 April 1969	3 September 1969	154 days	National Liberation Council

Second Republic (1969–1972)

President			Term of office			Political party (at time of election)
#	Portrait	Name	Took office	Left office	Duration
(3)		Brigadier Akwasi Afrifa (1936–1979)	3 September 1969	7 August 1970	338 days	Military
4		Nii Amaa Ollennu (1906–1986)	7 August 1970	31 August 1970	24 days	Independent
5		Edward Akufo-Addo (1906–1979)	31 August 1970	13 January 1972 (Deposed)	1 year, 135 days	Independent

Military rule (1972–1979)

General Ignatius Kutu Acheampong led a coup d’état which overthrown the President Limann, 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 overthrown the General Acheampong then Flight Lieutenant Jerry Rawlings led a coup d’état which overthrown the Supreme Military Council

Head of State			Term of Office			Military
#	Portrait	Name	Took Office	Left Office	Duration
6		General Ignatius Kutu Acheampong (1931–1979)	13 January 1972	9 October 1975	6 years, 173 days	National Redemption Council
			9 October 1975	5 July 1978 (Deposed)		Supreme Military Council
7		Lieutenant-General Fred Akuffo (1937–1979)	5 July 1978	4 June 1979 (Deposed)	1 year, 28 days	Supreme Military Council
8		Flight Lieutenant Jerry Rawlings (1947–)	4 June 1979	24 September 1979	112 days	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 Parliament 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.

President			Term of office			Political party (at time of election)
#	Portrait	Name	Took office	Left office	Duration
9		Hilla Limann (1934–1998)	24 September 1979	31 December 1981 (Deposed)	2 years, 98 days	People’s National Party

Military rule (1981–1993)

Flight Lieutenant Jerry Rawlings led a coup d’état which overthrown the President Limann and his government, all political parties and Parliament was also dissolved.

Head of State			Term of Office		Military
#	Portrait	Name	Took Office	Left Office		Duration
(8)		Flight Lieutenant Jerry Rawlings (1947–)	31 December 1981	7 January 1993	11 years, 7 days	Provisional National Defence Council

Fourth Republic

Under the current Constitution the President is head of both state and government. The President is elected by Parliament 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.

President			Term of office		Political party (at time of election)
#	Portrait	Name	Took office	Left office
(8)		Jerry Rawlings (1947–)	7 January 1993	7 January 2001	8 years	National Democratic Congress
10		John Kufuor (1938–)	7 January 2001	7 January 2009	8 years	New Patriotic Party
11		John Atta Mills (1944–2012)	7 January 2009	24 July 2012 (Died in Office)	3 years, 199 days	National Democratic Congress
12		John Dramani Mahama (1958–)	24 July 2012		1 year, 98 days (as of 30 October 2013)	National Democratic Congress

-wikipedia