The SMC I and II Era
Between 1972 and 1975 the NRC achieved tremendous successes and endeared itself to Ghanaians. It abolished some of the harsh economic measures introduced by the PP by, for example, revaluation of the cedi, the abolition of the development levy and the restoration of elite and employment related fringe benefits formerly enjoyed by military, civil and public servants; it repudiated several foreign loans and encouraged the principles of self reliance by launching ‘Operation Feed Yourself Your Industries’. The latter policies led to a considerable boost to agriculture resulting in very high growth rates as for example 4.5% in 1972,6% in 1973 and 7% in 1974. In real terms, the quantity of rice produced rose from 11,000 tons in 1971 to 61,000 tons in 1973 while that of maize witnessed the spectacular increase form 53,000 tons in 1971 to 430,000 in 1973.
In addition, in 1973, the NRC established Regional Development Corporation in all the nine regions of Ghana with an initial seed money of ¢800,000 over the next three years to spearhead development in the regions taking into account the resources of the regions and their peculiar needs. In October 1975, NRC transformed itself into a 7-man Supreme Military Council (SMC) chaired by General Acheampong and composed of military service commanders: the Army, the Navy, the Air Force, the Border Guards as well as the Chief of Defense Staff and the Inspector General of Police.
The failure of policy and governance of the country during the period of the SMC until it fell on 4 June 1979 sharply contrasted with the spectacular successes achieved the period of the NRC from 1972 to 1975. First, the SMC had to contend with severe external economic factors, such as, astronomical increases in the prices of crude oil; dwindling foreign earnings; domestic policy failures; poor fiscal management; gross mismanagement and long spells of natural disasters such as drought and bush fires which adversely affected agricultural output. Second, the SMC rather that hand over the reins of government to civilian politicians in a democratic constitutional election initially sought to introduce a political system which it called the Union Government (UNIGOV), that was to be devoid of political parties and based on a partnership among the military, the police and civilians. In furtherance of the UNIGOV policy, a referendum was held on 30 March 1978 to ascertain the wishes of Ghanaians on the issue. Halfway through the referendum, the Electoral Commissioner, Mr. Justice Isaac Kobina Abban, a judge of the High Court, had to give up his job, flee into hiding apparently to save his life.
SMC's zealous pursuit of UNIGOV in the midst of loud and resolute opposition by all sections of the Ghanaian populace severely divided the nation and led to the fall of General Acheampong as head of state in a “palace coup” on 5 July 1978. The reconstituted government led by General F.W.K. Akuffo known as SMC II, also consisted of military and police service commanders lasted for only 11 months in power from 5 July 1978 to 4 June 1979. The only achievement of significance of SMC II was that it soon announced a programme for the return of the country to democratic constitutional rule, lifted the ban on party political activities and initiated all the requisite processes that would culminate in general elections on 18 June 1979.
But before it could carry out its programmes, it was overthrown on 4 June 1979 by a group of revolutionary junior officers who formed a junta, the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC), under the chairmanship of Flight-Lieutenant Jerry John Rawlings. Other members of the Council were Captain Boakye Gyan who was its official spokesman, Major Mensah-Poku, Warrant Officer Class 2 Obeng, Private Owusu Ansa, Corporal Owusu Boateng, Staff Sergeant Alex Adjei, Leading Aircraftsman Gatsiko, Lance-Corporal Peter Tasiri, Lance-Corporal Ansah-Atiemo, Lance-Corporal Sarkodee-Addo and Corporal Sheikh Tetteh.
The Turbulent Years
The tenure of the AFRC was a mementos three months until to 24 September 1979 during which it ruled through the Council, Liaison Officers and Decrees and set out to punish the corrupt and the guilty, to ensure social justice and to restore the tarnished image of the armed forces. It, for example, expressed dissatisfaction wit the indemnity clauses in the 1979 Constitution that would have absolved corrupt individuals from liability to criminal proceedings. Consequently, under the AFRC three former heads of state: Generals Afrifa, Acheampong and Akuffo and five senior army officers who were leading members of the SMC government: Major General Robert Kotei, Major General Felli were executed for being directlly or indirectly responsible for the profound extent of corruption and decadence into which the country had been plunged.
The AFRC did not disturb the process of returning the country to constitutional democratic rule. Consequently, the Third Republic Constitution of 1979 was duly promulgated and elections held under its provisions. The Constitution provided for and executive president elected by universal adult suffrage for a term of four years with eligibility for a second and final term of four years; a unitary government and a single chamber legislature elected for a term of four years; ministers appointed by the president from outside parliament but with the approval of parliament and finally, for the first time in the constitutional history of Ghana, a Council of State whose composition comprised members was drawn from identifiable bodies and establishments and the reduction of the age of franchise from 21 to 18 years.
General Elections were held on 18th June 1979 as was scheduled by SMC II and it was contested by six political parties: Peoples’ National Party (PNP), led by Dr. Hilla Liman, that won 71 seats; Popular Front Party (PFP), led by Victor Owusu, that won 47 seats; Action Congress Party (ACP), led by Colonel Frank George Bernasko, that won 10 seats. United National Convention (UNC), led by William Ofori-Atta that won 8 seats, Social Democratic Front (SDF) led by Alhaji Ibrahim Mahama that won 4 seats. The Third Force Party, (TFP), led by Dr. John Bilson, which did not win any seat so also did no independent candidate win a seat. Elections for the president were conducted simultaneously with the parliamentary elections. While PNP claimed that its roots laid in the CPP tradition both PFP and UNC claimed that they descended from the PP.
Ten candidates, six of who were leaders of political parties and four others who were independents, contested the first round of the presidential election. They were Dr. Liman of the PNP who won 631,559 votes representing 35.32%, Owusu of the PFP, who won 533,928 votes representing 29.86%, Ofori-Atta, of the UNC, who won 311,265 votes representing 17.41%, Colonel Bernasko of the ACP, who won 167,775 votes representing 9.38%, Alhaji Mahama of the SDF, who won 66,445 votes representing 3.72%. Dr. John Bilson of TFP, who won 49,104 votes representing 2.75%, Dr. R.P. Baffour, independent candidate, who won 8,490 votes representing 0.47% Mark Diamond Nii Addy, independent candidate who won 5,957 votes representing 0.33% and Alhaji Imoro Ayannah, independent candidate who won 4,874 votes representing 0.27%. Since none of the ten candidates had more than 50% of the total valid votes as provided under the 1979 constitution, there was a second ballot on Monday, 9 July between the two candidates who had the highest number of votes in the first election. Dr. Hilla Limann won and was sworn in as President of the Republic.
The PNP government was prematurely overthrown on 31st December 1981, by Flt.-Lt. JJ Rawlings who had incidentally handed over power to Dr. Limann only 28 months ago.
The Revolutions Days.
His second coup, the sixth successful one in the history of Ghana ushered in a new revolutionary era of far reaching reforms and rehabilitation at all levels. Flt.-Lt. Rawlings became the Chairman of a nine-member Provisional National Defence Ruling Council, (PNDC) with Secretaries of State in charge of the various arms of government. The PNDC government formed the National Commission for Democracy (NCD) in 1989 and this finally led to the appointment of a Committee of experts to draw up constitutional proposals for the consideration of a Consultative Assembly. The Assembly prepared a draft constitution based on proposals submitted to it by the PNDC, as well as from previous constitutions of 1957, 1969 and 1979. The final draft constitution was unanimously approved by Ghanaians in a referendum which was held on April 28, 1992.
The Return to Constitutional Rule: The Forth Republic
Elections were subsequently held in December 1992 and the National Democratic Party (NDC) which was lead by Flt. Lt. JJ Rawlings, winning a land slide victory over the other political parties. This ushered in the forth Republic which was inaugurated on January 7, 1993 with the swearing-in of Flt. Lt. Rawlings as President. The newly elected Parliament was also opened on the same day. In December 1996, President Rawlings was re-elected for a second term, an achievement which was the first of this kind in the history of Ghana since its independence and in West Africa.
On December 7, 2000 Mr. John A. Kufuor of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), won the election with the largest share of the presidential vote of 48.17% but could not win a majority and so there was a run-off election held on 28th December 2000 in which he won a majority vote of 56.73% becoming the first elected president in Ghana’s history to succeed another elected president. This ushered in the first ever successful change of government of the forth Republic with Mr. J.A. Kufuor becoming President. In December 2004, President Kufour was re-elected for a second term in office and this became another record breaking feat in Ghanaian politics and West Africa as a whole.
In December 2008, after a grueling three rounds of balloting between candidate Akuffo-Addo and Evans Atta-Mills, the latter won the most votes and he was sworn in as President of the Republic of Ghana on January 7, 2009. President John Evans Atta-Mills will preside over the celebration of Ghana's 53 years as a republic come Saturday March 6, 2010.
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