Supreme Military Council (Ghana)

The Supreme Military Council (SMC) was the ruling government of Ghana from 9 October 1975 to 4 June 1979. Its chairman was Colonel I.K. Acheampong. He was also the Head of state of Ghana due to his chairmanship.

SMC I and II

The period of the SMC can be divided into two eras. These are :

• Acheampong era - SMC - 1 (October 9, 1975 - July 5, 1978)
• Akuffo era - SMC 2 - (July 5, 1978 - June 4, 1979)

The SMC was overthrown by the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council on June 4, 1979. This was a bloody coup during which one of the SMC members, the Army Commander Major General Odartey-Wellington was killed.

Members of the Acheampong government

The council consisted of the Head of state and all service commanders of the Ghana Armed Forces. The head of the police was also included. Many members of the government changed porfolios while others were dropped.[1]

SMC I members (October 1975 to July 1978)
Office	Name	Dates
Head of state and Chairman	General Ignatius Kutu Acheampong	9 October 1975 - 5 July 1978
Chief of the Defence Staff	Lieutenant General Lawrence Okai	9 October 1975 - November 1976
	Lieutenant General Fred W. K. Akuffo	November 1976 - July 1978
Chief of Army Staff	Lieutenant General Fred W. K. Akuffo	9 October 1975 - November 1976
	Major General Robert E. A. Kotei	November 1976 - July 1978
Chief of Naval Staff	Rear Admiral C. K. Dzang	9 October 1975 - June 1977
	Rear Admiral Joy Amedume	June 1977 - July 1978
Chief of Air Staff	Brigadier Charles Beausoliel	9 October 1975 - 11 November 1976
	Air Vice Marshal George Yaw Boakye	12 November 1976 - 5 July 1978
Border Guards Commander	Major General E. K. Utuka	9 October 1975 - ?
Inspector General of Police	Ernest Ako	9 October 1975 - July 1978
	B. S. K. Kwakye	July 1978 – June 1979

The various commissioners were designated as members of the National Redemption Council as membership of the SMC was limited to the Head of State, the Inspector General of Police and the various military service commanders.

List of commissioners (NRC members)
Office	Name	Dates
Commissioner for Foreign Affairs	Major Roger Felli[2]	9 October 1975 - ?
Commissioner for Internal Affairs Inspector General of Police	Ernest Ako	9 October 1975 - July 1978
	B. S. K. Kwakye[2]	July 1978 – June 1979
Commissioner for Defence	Colonel Kutu Acheampong	9 October 1975 – July 1978
	Lt. General Fred W. K. Akuffo[2]	July 1978 – June 1979
Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice	Gustav Koranteng-Addow[2]	9 October 1975 - January 1979
Commissioner for Finance and Economic Affairs	Colonel Kutu Acheampong	9 October 1975 - ?
	Robert Gardiner	14 October 1975 – May 1978
	Colonel E. T. Oklah[2]	1978 – July 1979
Commissioner for Economic Planning	Lt Col. Kwame Baah	9 October 1975 - ?
	J. L. S. Abbey[2]	1978 – July 1979
Commissioner for Local Government	Lt. Col. Kwame Agbo	9 October 1975 - ?
	Lt. Col. B. K. Ahlijah	? – ?
	Lt. Col. K. A. Jackson	? – ?
	C. K. Tedam[2]	c. 1978
Commissioner for Agriculture[3]	Lt. Col. Paul K. Nkegbe	1975 – 1979
	Major General N. A. Odartey-Wellington	1978
	Colonel Samuel Akwagiram[2]	1978 – 1979
Commissioner for Health	Lt. Colonel Anthony Selormey	9 October 1975 - ?
	Major General N. A. Odartey-Wellington	?
	Abayifa Karbo[2]	c. 1978
Commissioner for Labour, Social Welfare and Co-operatives	Rear Admiral Joy Amedume	9 October 1975 - ?
	Nii Anyetei Kwakwranya[2]	c. 1978
Commissioner for Lands and Mineral Resources	Group Captain T. T. Kutin	9 October 1975 - ?
	Brigadier K. Osei-Boateng	?
	Lt. Col. Abdulai Ibrahim	?
	George Benneh[2]	c. 1978
Commissioner for Industry	Colonel George Minyila
	Colonel B. K. Ahlijah[2][4]	c. 1978
Commissioner for Works and Housing	Lt. Col. K. A. Jackson[5]	9 October 1975 - ?
	Major Edward Yirimambo[2]	c. 1978
Commissioner for Trade and Tourism	Colonel K. A. Quashie[2]
Commissioner for Transport and Communications	Colonel David A. Iddisah
	Group Captain T. T. Kutin
	Eric R.K. Dwemoh
	George Harlley[2]	c. 1978
Commissioner for Education and Culture	Ellis Owusu-Fordwor[2]	9 October 1975 - 1979
Commissioner for Education, Culture and Sports	Lieutenant-Colonel Paul Nkegbe
Commissioner for Information	Major General Robert E. A. Kotei	9 October 1975 - ?
	Colonel Parker H. S. Yarney[2]	c. 1978
Commissioner for Sports	Colonel Kutu Acheampong	9 October 1975 - 1978
	E. R. K. Dwemoh[2]	c. 1978
Commissioner for Cocoa Affairs	Captain J. A. Kyeremeh[2]	9 October 1975 - 1979
Commissioner for Cooperatives and Consumer Affairs	Kofi Badu[2]	c. 1978
Commissioner for Fuel and Power	Lieutenant-Colonel Abdulai Ibrahim[2]
Commissioner for Chieftaincy Affairs	Lt. General Fred W. K. Akuffo[2]	c. 1978
Commissioner for NRC Affairs	E. K. Buckman[2]
Commissioner and Special Advisor to the Head of State	Joe Appiah
Commissioner for Special Duties	Lt. Colonel C. S. C. Grant[2]	c. 1978
Regional Commissioners
Ashanti Regional Commissioner	Major L. K. Kodjiku[4]	October 1975 – 1977
	Commander G. E. Osei[6]	1977 – 1978
	Colonel R. K. Zumah[7]	1978 – 1979
Brong Ahafo Region	Lt. Col. O. K. Abrefa	October 1975 – 1977
	William Adjei Thompson	1977 – 1978
	Lt. Commander L. K. Awuku[7]	1978 – 1979
Central Region	Major J. A. Awuni	1975 – 1977
	Commander John A. K. Otoo	1977 – 1978
	Lt Colonel William Adjei Thompson[7]	1978 – 1979
Eastern Region	Col. Kweku Adade Takyi	1972 – 1973 and 1975 – 1977
	Lt. Col. George Manyila	1973 – 1975
	Commander G. E. Osei	1977 – 1978
	Lt. Colonel Obed Kwabena Abrefa[7]	1978 – 1979
Greater Accra Regional Commissioner	Lt. Col. William Adjei Thompson	1975 – 1977
	Lt. Colonel L. K. Kodjiku	1977 – 1978
	Commander G. E. Osei[7]	1978 – 1979
Northern Region	Major R. K. Zumah	October 1975 – 1978
	Lt. Colonel L. K. Kodjiku[7]	1978 – 1979
Upper Region	Lt. Col. Michael Ofori-Akuamoah	1975 – 1978
	Lt. Colonel Samuel Gyabaah[7]	1978 – 1979
Volta Regional Commissioner	Colonel J. A. Kabore	1972 – 1975
	Lt. Col. G. K. Amevor[7][8]	1975 – 1979
Western Region	Lt. Col. E. J. Dawuni	1976 – 1977
	Lt.Commander John A.K. Otoo	1977 – 1978
	J. S. Y. Amenlemah[7]	1978 – 1979

Office	Name	Dates	Notes
Secretary to the Cabinet	Nathan Quao	1972-1973
	Ebenezer Moses Debrah	1973-1976
	Frank W. Beecham	1976-1978
	Gilbert Boafo Boahene	1978-1979

Palace coup

Following a bloodless palace coup on 5 July 1978, the SMC was reconstituted. General Acheeampng was forced to resign as head of state and placed under house arrest. This government remained in power until its overthrow eleven months later by the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council on 4 June 1979.

SMC II members (July 1978 to June 1979)
Office	Name	Dates
Head of state and Chairman	Lieutenant General Fred W. K. Akuffo[9]	5 July 1978 - 4 June 1979
Chief of the Defence Staff	Major General Robert E. A. Kotei	5 July 1978 - 23 July 1978
	Lieutenant General Joshua Hamidu[9]	July 1978 - 4 June 1979
Chief of Army Staff	Major General Neville Odartey-Wellington[9]	5 July 1978 - 4 June 1979
Chief of Naval Staff	Rear Admiral Joy Kobla Amedume[9]	5 July 1978 - 4 June 1979
Chief of Air Staff	Air Vice Marshal George Yaw Boakye[9]	5 July 1978 - 4 June 1979
Border Guards Commander	Major General E. K. Utuka	5 July 1978 - 1978
	Major General K. Osei Boateng[9][10]	1978 - 4 June 1979
Inspector General of Police	Ernest Ako[9]	July 1978
	B. S. K. Kwakye	17 July 1978 - 4 June 1979

Monday 4 June 1979

References

1. "MEMBERSHIP OF SMC AND NRC". Wikileaks. WikiLeaks. Retrieved 23 October 2019.
2. "Commissioners of State as at Sept. 1, 1978". Ghana News. Washington DC: Embassy of Ghana. 7 (8): 13. September 1978. Retrieved 31 March 2020.
3. "Former Heads of MoFA". Official website. Ministry of Food and Agriculture. Retrieved 7 August 2012.
4. Nkrumah, I. K. (editor) (2 June 1976). "Ahlijah Calls on Otumfuo". Newspaper (7968). Graphic Communications Group Ltd. Daily Graphic. Retrieved 31 March 2020.CS1 maint: extra text: authors list (link)
5. Nkrumah, I. K. (editor) (2 June 1976). "Jackson inspects new court house". Newspaper (7968). Graphic Communications Group Ltd. Daily Graphic. Retrieved 31 March 2020.CS1 maint: extra text: authors list (link)
6. Obed Asamoah (20 October 2014). The Political History of Ghana (1950-2013): The Experience of a Non-Conformist. AuthorHouseUK. p. 243. ISBN 978-1496985620. Retrieved 12 April 2020.
7. "Regional Commissioners as at Sept. 1, 1978". Ghana News. Washington DC: Embassy of Ghana. 7 (8): 13. September 1978. Retrieved 31 March 2020.
8. Nkrumah, I. K. (editor) (2 June 1976). "You are welcome!". Newspaper (7968). Graphic Communications Group Ltd. Daily Graphic. Retrieved 31 March 2020.CS1 maint: extra text: authors list (link)
9. "The Re-constituted Supreme Military Council". Ghana News. Washington DC: Embassy of Ghana. 7 (8): 13. September 1978. Retrieved 31 March 2020.
10. Tagoe, George (6 May 2004). Genesis Four. Trafford Publishing. ISBN 9781553955696. Retrieved 9 September 2012.

Sources

• Some of the information here was originally on the German Wikipedia.

External sources

• Past General Officers Commanding /chiefs of the Defence Staff
• Past Army Commanders / Chiefs of Army Staff
• Past Chiefs of Naval Staff 1959 - 2000
• Past Chiefs of Air Staff