List of heads of state of Ghana facts for kids

Welcome to the story of Ghana's leaders! This article lists all the important people who have been the heads of state of Ghana since it became an independent country in 1957.

When Ghana first became independent in 1957, its head of state was Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom. She was also the Queen of many other countries in the Commonwealth realms. In Ghana, the Queen was represented by a special person called a governor-general.

But in 1960, Ghana changed! It became a republic within the Commonwealth. This meant Ghana would have its own president instead of a Queen and a governor-general.

Ghana's First Leaders: The Monarch (1957–1960)

For a short time after independence, Ghana's head of state was the Queen of the United Kingdom. The rules for who would become Queen were the same as for the British throne.

No.	Portrait	Name (Birth–Death)	Time as leader			Royal Family	Prime minister
			Started	Ended	How long
1		Queen Elizabeth II (1926–2022)	6 March 1957	1 July 1960	3 years, 117 days	Windsor	Nkrumah

The Governor-General: The Queen's Representative

Flag of the governor-general of Ghana (1957–1960)

The governor-general was the Queen's representative in Ghana. This person had most of the Queen's powers in the country. The governor-general was chosen by the Queen, but only after the Ghanaian government suggested who it should be. If the position was empty, Ghana's chief justice would temporarily take over.

What the colors mean

     This color means the Chief Justice was temporarily leading the government.

No.	Portrait	Name (Birth–Death)	Time in office			Monarch	Prime minister
			Started	Ended	How long
1		Sir Charles Arden-Clarke (1898–1962)	6 March 1957	14 May 1957	69 days	Elizabeth II	Nkrumah
—		Sir Kobina Arku Korsah (1894–1967)	14 May 1957	13 November 1957	183 days
2		The Earl of Listowel (1906–1997)	13 November 1957	1 July 1960	2 years, 231 days

Ghana as a Republic (1960–Present)

After 1960, Ghana became a republic, meaning it would be led by a president. This section shows all the presidents and military leaders who have governed Ghana since then.

Political Parties

     Convention People's Party (CPP)      People's National Party (PNP)      National Democratic Congress (NDC)      New Patriotic Party (NPP)

Other Groups

     Military      Independent

What the colors mean

     This color means the person was an acting president.

Important Notes

Constitutional referendum: A vote by the people to change the country's rules. Died in office: The leader passed away while still in power.

First Republic (1960–1966)

Ghana's first republic began with a new set of rules in 1960. The president became the main leader of the country. The president was chosen by the Parliament and served for 5 years. If the president's position became empty, three members of the government would act as president together.

No.	Portrait	Name (Birth–Death)	Elected	Time in office			Political party
				Started	Ended	How long
1		Kwame Nkrumah (1909–1972)	1960 1964	1 July 1960	26 February 1966 (Removed from power)	5 years, 240 days	CPP

Military Rule (1966–1969)

After President Nkrumah, the military took control of Ghana. Lieutenant-General Joseph Arthur Ankrah became the leader. All political parties and the Parliament were stopped.

No.	Portrait	Name (Birth–Death)	Time in office			Political party
			Started	Ended	How long
2		Lieutenant-General Joseph Arthur Ankrah (1915–1992) Chairman of the NLC	24 February 1966	2 April 1969 (Resigned)	3 years, 37 days	Military
3		Brigadier Akwasi Afrifa (1936–1979) Chairman of the NLC	2 April 1969	3 September 1969	154 days

Second Republic (1969–1972)

Ghana returned to civilian rule for a short period.

No.	Portrait	Name (Birth–Death)	Elected	Time in office			Political party	Prime minister
				Started	Ended	How long
(3)		Brigadier Akwasi Afrifa (1936–1979) Chairman of the Presidential Commission	—	3 September 1969	7 August 1970	338 days	Military	Busia
—		Nii Amaa Ollennu (1906–1986)	—	7 August 1970	31 August 1970	24 days	Independent
4		Edward Akufo-Addo (1906–1979)	—	31 August 1970	13 January 1972 (Removed from power)	1 year, 135 days	Independent

Military Rule (1972–1979)

The military took control again in 1972. General Ignatius Kutu Acheampong became the new leader. The president, prime minister, and all political parties were removed. Later, Lieutenant General Fred Akuffo took over from Acheampong. Then, Flight Lieutenant Jerry Rawlings became the leader.

No.	Portrait	Name (Birth–Death)	Time in office			Political party
			Started	Ended	How long
5		General Ignatius Kutu Acheampong (1931–1979) Chairman of the NRC	13 January 1972	5 July 1978 (Removed from power)	6 years, 173 days	Military
		Chairman of the SMC from 9 October 1975
6		Lieutenant-General Fred Akuffo (1937–1979) Chairman of the SMC	5 July 1978	4 June 1979 (Removed from power)	334 days
7		Flight Lieutenant Jerry Rawlings (1947–2020) Chairman of the AFRC	4 June 1979	24 September 1979	112 days

Third Republic (1979–1981)

Ghana tried again to have a civilian government. Under new rules in 1979, the president was both the head of state and the head of government. The president was chosen directly by the people for a four-year term. A president could serve for a maximum of two terms. If the president's position became empty, the vice-president would take over temporarily.

No.	Portrait	Name (Birth–Death)	Elected	Time in office			Political party
				Started	Ended	How long
8		Hilla Limann (1934–1998)	1979	24 September 1979	31 December 1981 (Removed from power)	2 years, 98 days	PNP

Military Rule (1981–1993)

Once again, the military took control. Flight Lieutenant Jerry Rawlings became the leader. President Limann's government was removed, and all political parties and Parliament were stopped.

No.	Portrait	Name (Birth–Death)	Time in office			Political party
			Started	Ended	How long
(7)		Flight Lieutenant Jerry Rawlings (1947–2020) Chairman of the PNDC	31 December 1981	7 January 1993	11 years, 7 days	Military

Fourth Republic (1993–Present)

Ghana's current system of government, the Fourth Republic, started in 1993. The president is both the head of state and the head of government. The people directly elect the president for a four-year term. A president can serve for a maximum of two terms. If the president's position becomes empty, the vice-president takes over for the rest of the term.

No.	Portrait	Name (Birth–Death)	Elected	Time in office			Political party
				Started	Ended	How long
(7)		Jerry Rawlings (1947–2020)	1992 1996	7 January 1993	7 January 2001	8 years	NDC
8		John Kufuor (born 1938)	2000 2004	7 January 2001	7 January 2009	8 years	NPP
9		John Atta Mills (1944–2012)	2008	7 January 2009	24 July 2012	3 years, 199 days	NDC
10		John Mahama (born 1958)	2012	24 July 2012	7 January 2017	4 years, 167 days	NDC
11		Nana Akufo-Addo (born 1944)	2016 2020	7 January 2017	Incumbent	8 years, 159 days	NPP

Timeline of Leaders Since 1960

This timeline shows when each leader was in power since Ghana became a republic.

Background of Ghana's Leaders

This table shows the ethnic group and religious beliefs of some of Ghana's heads of state.

Standards and Symbols

These are the special flags used by Ghana's leaders.

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  Governor-General's standard

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  Presidential standard