Ghana Independence Act 1957 facts for kids
| Act of Parliament | |
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| Long title | An Act to make provision for, and in connection with, the attainment by the Gold Coast of fully responsible status within the British Commonwealth of Nations. |
|---|---|
| Citation | 5 & 6 Eliz. 2. c. 6 |
| Dates | |
| Royal assent | 7 February 1957 |
| Text of statute as originally enacted | |
| Revised text of statute as amended | |
The Ghana Independence Act 1957 was a special law passed by the Parliament of the United Kingdom. This law gave the Gold Coast its freedom, allowing it to become a self-governing country called Ghana. It also meant Ghana would be a full member of the British Commonwealth of Nations, a group of countries that used to be part of the British Empire.
The Act became official on February 7, 1957, when it received the Royal Assent (meaning the Queen approved it). Ghana officially became an independent nation on March 6, 1957.
Why Ghana Needed This Act
For a territory like the Gold Coast to become independent and join the British Commonwealth, the United Kingdom's Parliament had to pass a special law. This law was created in a similar way to other independence acts, like the one for Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) in 1947.
The process was a bit tricky because the area that would become Ghana wasn't just one simple place. It was made up of four different parts:
- The Gold Coast Colony and Ashanti were both "Crown Colonies," meaning they were directly ruled by the British Crown.
- The Northern Territories was a "British Protectorate," which meant Britain protected it but didn't fully own it.
- British Togoland was a "United Nations trust territory." This meant the United Nations had asked Britain to look after it.
For the Northern Territories, the new law ended the old agreements with local chiefs. For British Togoland, people voted in a referendum to decide if they wanted to join Ghana. Once the Act was in place, all these areas became one unified country called Ghana, and it was considered part of the Queen's lands as a new dominion.
Ghana's Journey to Freedom
The idea for this independence law really started to take shape after the Convention People's Party won a big election in the Gold Coast in 1954. They won 79 out of 104 seats in the local assembly. After this win, the Gold Coast government announced its hope to become independent very soon.
Even in 1956, there were still some disagreements within the Gold Coast about what their new government should look like. However, the United Kingdom government stated that if there was enough support for independence, they would pass the necessary laws. The British government also mentioned that becoming a "full member" of the Commonwealth would need approval from all other Commonwealth countries. Luckily, all members agreed, and Ghana was welcomed into the Commonwealth.
Important steps were taken in February 1956. Letters were issued to create the job of the Governor-General of Ghana, who would represent the Queen in Ghana. These became official on March 6, 1956. An official order also set up Ghana's first constitution.
Independence Day: A Special Date
The date chosen for Ghana's independence, March 6, was very meaningful. On March 6, 1844, a group of chiefs in Ghana had signed an important agreement with the British governor. This agreement, known as the Bond, showed that local leaders had their own power and rights. Choosing this date for independence helped connect Ghana's new freedom to its long history.
