13 January 1972: Remembering The 1972 Coup In Ghana

Koku Anyidoho, Deputy General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has been detained by the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) pending investigations into his statement that President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo was likely to suffer the fate of his father who was overthrown as President by a military coup in 1972.

"Somebody should tell Nana Akufo-Addo that history has a very interesting way of repeating itself," he said.

"On the January 13, 1972 a certain Col. Ignatius Kutu Acheampong led a movement that removed the Progress Party from power. Busia was the Prime Minister and Akufo-Addo's father was a ceremonial president. Somebody should tell Nana Akufo-Addo that history has a very interesting way of repeating itself. There'll be a civil revolt. There'll be a people's movement. During President John Mahama's tenure didn't we receive similar threats from the likes of Let My Vote Count and OccupyGhana," he added.

Koku Anyidoho noted: "There'll be a civilian coup d'etat; there’ll be a social revolution and the movement is starting on Wednesday. He [Akufo-Addo] will be fed up at the Presidency."

1972 coup
An army commander has seized control of Ghana while the prime minister is in London for medical treatment.

Prime Minister Dr Busia has been accused of economic mismanagement and arbitrary arrest - both characteristics of the former Nkrumah regime which was ousted by an army coup in 1966.

Ghana has suffered economically from the fall in the price of cocoa, one of its key exports, and there is high unemployment.

A massive devaluation of the currency just two weeks ago led to a sharp rise in food prices.

In London, where Dr Kofi Busia had arrived for a medical check, there was dismay and confusion at the Ghanaian diplomatic mission.

At the end of the day there was a forthright statement from Dr Busia condemning the coup and declaring it might not succeed.

He said: "I believe the people of Ghana will resist this selfish and senseless coup, and overthrow it. The people of Ghana know how sincerely we are trying to establish democracy and human dignity, as well as coping with our grave economic problems in order to raise our standard of living."

Dr Busia stuck resolutely to his claim that it was by no means certain that a new regime had taken over.

He forecast that the various regions of the country would reject the army leaders who had seized power in Accra.

The coup was led by Lieutenant Colonel I K Acheampong, commander of Ghana's first army brigade.

In a radio broadcast, he said Dr Busia had been dismissed and the army had taken power.

Colonel Acheampong took part in the army coup of 1966 which brought down President Nkrumah.

In the interim regime which ruled for three years he served under General Joseph Ankrah and the National Liberation Council as administrator of the Western Region.

When elections in 1969 brought Dr Busia to power with 105 out of 140 parliamentary seats and the return to a civilian regime, Colonel Acheampong went back to his military career.

His brief announcements indicated that he intends to establish a broadly based interim regime with civilians and army officers taking part from the start.

He announced that the governing body for the present will be called the National Redemption Council. This appears a clue to his spartan and dedicated nature.

Dr Nkrumah [took] the title of Redeemer. Although this was regarded by people in northern countries as simply vanity and eccentricity by Dr Nkrumah, it caused bitter resentment among the many Ghanaian Christians.

Thus the announcement of a council based on the principle of redemption is significant. Colonel Acheampong's statements about its composition names eight elements in the nation: the army, Christian Council, Moslem community, trade unions, farmers, tribal leaders, chambers of commerce and the Ghana Bar Association.

   Comments0