A republic in West Africa on the Gulf of Guinea; Also called: Gold Coast.
Country in W Africa, bounded N by Burkina Faso, E by Togo, S by the Gulf of Guinea, and W by the Ivory Coast.
government.
The 1992 constitution provides for a multiparty system, with a directly elected president as head of state, serving a maximum of two four-year terms, and a 200-member single-chamber assembly, also elected by universal suffrage for a four-year term. The president appoints a vice president and a council of ministers.
history.
The area now known as Ghana was once made up of several separate kingdoms, including those of the Fanti on the coast and the Ashanti further inland.
The first Europeans to arrive in the region were the Portuguese 1471. Their coastal trading centers, dealing in gold and slaves, flourished alongside Dutch, Danish, British, Swedish, and French traders until about 1800, when the Ashanti, having conquered much of the interior, began to invade the coast. Denmark and the Netherlands abandoned their trading centers, and the Ashanti were defeated by Britain and the Fanti 1874.
the Gold Coast.
The coastal region became the British colony of the Gold Coast, and after continued fighting, the inland region to the north of Ashanti 1898, and the Ashanti kingdom 1901, were made British protectorates. After 1917 the W part of Togoland, previously governed by Germany, was administered with the Gold Coast. Britain thus controlled both coastal and inland territories, and in 1957 these, together with British Togoland, became independent as Ghana.
Nkrumah’s presidency.
In 1960 Ghana was declared a republic and Dr Kwame Nkrumah, a former prime minister of the Gold Coast, became president. He embarked on a policy of what he called “African socialism” and established an authoritarian regime. In 1964 he declared Ghana a one-party state, with the Convention People’s Party (CPP, which he led) as the only political organization. He then dropped his stance of nonalignment and forged links with the USSR and other communist countries. In 1966, while visiting China, he was deposed in a coup led by General Joseph Ankrah, whose national liberation council released many political prisoners and purged CPP supporters.
In 1969 Ankrah was replaced by General Akwasi Afrifa, who announced plans for a return to civilian government. A new constitution established an elected national assembly and a nonexecutive presidency. The Progress Party (PP) won a big majority in the assembly, and its leader, Kofi Busia, became prime minister. In 1970 Edward Akufo-Addo became the civilian president.
economic problems and coups.
Following economic problems, the army seized power again 1972. The constitution was suspended and all political institutions replaced by a National Redemption Council under Col Ignatius Acheampong. In 1976 he too promised a return to civilian rule but critics doubted his sincerity and he was replaced by his deputy, Frederick Akuffo, in a bloodless coup 1978. Like his predecessors, he announced a speedy return to civilian government, but before elections could be held he, in turn, was deposed by junior officers led by Flight-Lt Jerry Rawlings, who claimed that previous governments had been corrupt and had mismanaged the economy.
Civilian rule was restored 1979, but two years later Rawlings led another coup, again complaining of the government's incompetence. He established a Provisional National Defense Council with himself as chair, again suspending the constitution, dissolving parliament, and banning political parties. Although Rawlings's policies were initially supported by workers and students, his failure to revive the economy caused discontent, and he had to deal with a number of demonstrations and attempted coups, including one in Oct 1989. In 1990 the country contributed troops to the multinational force that attempted to stabilize Liberia.
multiparty politics.
A national referendum April 1992 gave overwhelming approval to a proposal for a new, multiparty constitution. In Nov 1992, in the first presidential elections since 1979, Rawlings was elected by a 58.5% majority to head a new civilian government, and the fourth republic of Ghana was formally inaugurated in his presence Jan 1993.
A state of emergency was in force in the north of the country Feb–Aug 1994 after clashes between two of the country's ethnic groups. + prikaži više