Personality
Ignatius Kutu Acheampong (23 September 1931 – 16 June 1979) was a Ghanaian military officer and politician who served as the head of state of Ghana from 1972 to 1978.
Born in Kumasi, Gold Coast (now Ghana), Acheampong attended Roman Catholic schools in Trabuom and Kumasi. He furthered his education at the Central College of Commerce in Agona Swedru. Before his military career, he worked as a stenographer and later as a teacher, eventually becoming Vice Principal at Agona-Swedru College of Commerce. In 1959, after training at Aldershot, England, he was commissioned into the Ghana Army and participated in UN peacekeeping missions during the Congo Crisis.
Rise to Power
On 13 January 1972, then Lieutenant Colonel Acheampong led a bloodless coup d’état that overthrew the democratically elected government of Prime Minister Kofi Abrefa Busia. Following the coup, he established and chaired the National Redemption Council (NRC), which later transformed into the Supreme Military Council (SMC) in 1975, with Acheampong promoted to General.
Policies and Initiatives
During his tenure, Acheampong introduced several significant policies:
Operation Feed Yourself:
- Aimed at achieving self-sufficiency in food production by encouraging both large-scale and small-scale farming.
Operation Keep Right:
- Implemented on 4 August 1974, this initiative changed Ghana’s traffic system from driving on the left to the right, aligning with neighboring countries.
Metrication:
- Transitioned Ghana from the imperial system to the metric system of measurement on 1 September 1975.
Despite these initiatives, his regime faced widespread accusations of corruption and economic mismanagement, leading to public discontent.
Downfall and Execution
In July 1978, under mounting pressure, Acheampong was forced to resign and was succeeded by Lieutenant General Fred Akuffo. Following a coup on 4 June 1979 led by Flight Lieutenant Jerry John Rawlings, Acheampong was arrested, court-martialed, and executed by firing squad on 16 June 1979.
Reference:
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ignatius_Kutu_Acheampong
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Redemption_Council