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Frederick William Kwasi Akuffo
File:Akuffo.jpg
Lt. Gen. Fred Akuffo
7th Head of state of Ghana

In office
5 July 1978 – 4 June 1979
Deputy Lt. Gen. Joshua Hamidu
Preceded by General Acheampong
Succeeded by Flt. Lt. Jerry Rawlings
Personal details
Born (1937-03-21)March 21, 1937
Gold Coast (British colony) Akropong, Gold Coast
Died 26 June 1979(1979-06-26) (aged 42)
Ghana Accra, Ghana
Political party Military
Spouse(s) Mrs. Emily Akuffo
Profession Soldier
Religion Christian
Military service
Service/branch Ghana Army
Years of service 1957 - 1979
Rank Lieutenant General
Commands Chief of Defence Staff
Chief of Army Staff
Battles/wars Congo Crisis
Other Organized Operation Keep Right
Head of State of a military government

Lieutenant General Frederick William Kwasi Akuffo (21 March 1937 – 26 June 1979) was a soldier and politician. He is a former Chief of Defence Staff of the Ghana Armed Forces and the Head of state and chairman of the ruling Supreme Military Council (SMC) in Ghana from 1978 to 1979. He came to power in a military coup, was overthrown in another military coup and executed three weeks later.

Early life and education[]

Fred Akuffo was born at Akropong in the Eastern Region of Ghana. He completed his secondary education at the Presbyterian Boys' Secondary School in 1955 at Odumase krobo, Ghana. He then enlisted in the Ghana Army in 1957 and trained at the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst, UK among others, receiving his commission in 1960. He was married to Mrs. Emily Akuffo. He also attended the National Defence College in India in 1973.

Career[]

While in the army, he served as Commanding Officer of the Airborne Training School at Tamale and later the 6th Battalion of Infantry of the Ghana army between 1969 and 1970. He rose to become the 2nd Brigade Commander. He supervised the change over of traffic flow in Ghana from driving on the left to driving on the right as part of 'Operation Keep Right' which was effected on 4 August 1974. This change over was successful and largely accident free. He rose to become the Army Commander in April 1974 and the Chief of Defence Staff in April 1976.

Politics[]

On October 9, 1975, Fred Akuffo was appointed a member of the ruling Supreme Military Council government due to his position as the Ghana army commander. On July 5, 1978, he led a palace coup to overthrow the then Head of state, General Acheampong. He continued with the ongoing preparations to return Ghana to constitutional rule but his government was also cut short on 4 June 1979 by a military uprising by the junior ranks of the Ghana military led by Flight Lieutenant Jerry John Rawlings and the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council.

Execution[]

He was executed along with other senior military officers on 26 June 1979 at the Teshie Military Range, Ghana.

Sources[]

Military offices
Preceded by
Brigadier E. A. Erskine
Chief of Army Staff
1974 – 1976
Succeeded by
Major General Robert Kotei
Preceded by
Major General Lawrence Okai
Chief of Defence Staff
1976 – 1978
Succeeded by
Major General Robert Kotei
Political offices
Preceded by
Ignatius Kutu Acheamphong
Military Head of state
Head of state of Ghana
Military regime

1978–1979
Succeeded by
Jerry Rawlings
Military Head of state
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