List of heads of state of Ghana

The succession to the throne was the same as the succession to the British throne.

No.	Portrait	Monarch (Birth–Death)	Reign			Royal House	Prime Minister
			Reign start	Reign end	Duration
1		Queen Elizabeth II (1926–)	6 March 1957	1 July 1960	3 years, 117 days	Windsor	Nkrumah

Governor-General

The Governor-General was the representative of the Monarch in Ghana and exercised most of the powers of the Monarch.[5] The Governor-General was appointed for an indefinite term, serving at the pleasure of the monarch. Since Ghana was granted independence by the Ghana Independence Act 1957, rather than being first established as a semi-autonomous Dominion and later promoted to independence by the Statute of Westminster 1931,[6] the Governor-General was to be always appointed solely on the advice of the Cabinet of Ghana without the involvement of the British government, with the sole exception of Charles Arden-Clarke, the former colonial governor, who served as Governor-General temporarily until he was replaced by William Hare.[7] In the event of a vacancy the Chief Justice served as Officer Administering the Government.[8]

Status

  Denotes Chief Justice acting as Officer Administering the Government

No.	Portrait	Governor-General (Birth–Death)	Term of office			Monarch	Prime Minister
			Took office	Left office	Time in office
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	Elizabeth II	Nkrumah
2		The Rt. Hon. The Earl of Listowel (1906–1997)	13 November 1957	1 July 1960	2 years, 231 days	Elizabeth II	Nkrumah

Under the 1960 Constitution, the first constitution of the Republic of Ghana, the President replaced the Monarch as executive head of state.[9] The President was elected by Parliament for a 5-year term. In the event of a vacancy three Members of the Cabinet served jointly as Acting President.The first head of state/President was Dr Kwame Nkrumah who struggled for the attainment of Independence which freed Ghanaians from colonial rule from the British.

Nkrumah made a significant statement to Ghanaians on the day of Independence declaration and declared:

''From now on, today, we must change our attitudes and our minds. We must realise that from now on we are no longer a colonial but free and independent people. But also, as I pointed out, that also entails hard work. That new Africa is ready to fight his own battles and show that after all the black man is capable of managing his own affairs''.[10]

Status

No.	Portrait	President (Birth–Death)	Elected	Term of office			Political party
				Took office	Left office	Time in office
1		Kwame Nkrumah (1909–1972)	1960 1965	1 July 1960	26 February 1966 (deposed.)	5 years, 240 days	Convention People's Party

Lieutenant-General Joseph Arthur Ankrah led a coup d'état which overthrew President Nkrumah and his government, all political parties and Parliament were also dissolved.

No.	Portrait	Head of State (Birth–Death)	Term of office			Military
			Took office	Left office	Time in office
2		Lieutenant-General Joseph Arthur Ankrah (1915–1992)	24 February 1966	2 April 1969 (resigned.)	3 years, 37 days	National Liberation Council
3		Brigadier Akwasi Afrifa (1936–1979)	2 April 1969	3 September 1969	154 days	National Liberation Council

Status

№	Portrait	President (Birth–Death)	Elected	Term of office			Political party	Prime Minister
				Took office	Left office	Time in office
(3)		Brigadier Akwasi Afrifa (1936–1979)	—	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 (deposed.)	1 year, 135 days	Independent

General Ignatius Kutu Acheampong led a coup d'état which overthrew President Akufo-Addo, Prime Minister Abrefa Busia and his government, all political parties and Parliament were also dissolved.[11]

Lieutenant General Fred Akuffo led a coup d'état which overthrew the General Acheampong,[12] then Flight Lieutenant Jerry Rawlings led a coup d'état which overthrown the Supreme Military Council.[13]

No.	Portrait	Head of State (Birth–Death)	Term of office			Military
			Took office	Left office	Time in office
5		General Ignatius Kutu Acheampong (1931–1979)	13 January 1972	9 October 1975	6 years, 173 days	National Redemption Council
			9 October 1975	5 July 1978 (deposed.)		Supreme Military Council
6		Lieutenant-General Fred Akuffo (1937–1979)	5 July 1978	4 June 1979 (deposed.)	334 days	Supreme Military Council
7		Flight Lieutenant Jerry Rawlings (1947–2020)	4 June 1979	24 September 1979	112 days	Armed Forces Revolutionary Council

Under the 1979 Constitution the President is head of both state and government. The President is elected by Ghanaians and serves a four-year term that expires at the next general election; a President may serve a maximum of two terms.[15] In the event of a vacancy the Vice-President serves as Acting President.[16]

Status

No.	Portrait	President (Birth–Death)	Elected	Term of office			Political party
				Took office	Left office	Time in office
8		Hilla Limann (1934–1998)	1979	24 September 1979	31 December 1981 (deposed.)	2 years, 98 days	People's National Party

Flight Lieutenant Jerry Rawlings led a coup d'état which overthrew President Limann and his government, all political parties and Parliament were also dissolved.[17][18]

No.	Portrait	Head of State (Birth–Death)	Term of office			Political party
			Took office	Left office	Time in office
(7)		Flight Lieutenant Jerry Rawlings (1947–2020)	31 December 1981	7 January 1993	11 years, 7 days	Provisional National Defence Council

Under the current Constitution the President is head of both state and government.[19][20] The President is elected by Ghanaians and serves a four-year term that expires at the next general election; a President may serve a maximum of two terms. In the event of a vacancy, the Vice-President serves the remaining time as the President.[21]

Status

No.	Portrait	President (Birth–Death)	Elected	Term of office			Political party
				Took office	Left office	Time in office
(7)		Jerry Rawlings (1947–2020)	1992 1996	7 January 1993	7 January 2001	8 years	National Democratic Congress
9		John Kufuor (1938–)	2000 2004	7 January 2001	7 January 2009	8 years	New Patriotic Party
10		John Atta Mills (1944–2012)	2008	7 January 2009	24 July 2012 (died in office.)	3 years, 199 days	National Democratic Congress
11		John Mahama (1958–)	2012	24 July 2012	7 January 2017	4 years, 167 days	National Democratic Congress
12		Nana Akufo-Addo (1944–)	2016 2020	7 January 2017	Incumbent	4 years, 28 days	New Patriotic Party

• 
  Governor-General's Standard
• 
  Presidential Standard

• World Statesmen – Ghana
• Rulers.org – Ghana