Fred Akuffo

Infobox_President | name=Frederick William Kwasi Akuffo

|thumb|right
imagesize =120x100px
caption =Lt. Gen. Fred Akuffo
order =7th Head of state of Ghana
term_start =July 5, 1978
term_end =June 4, 1979
deputy =Lt. Gen. Joshua Hamidu
predecessor =General Acheamphong
successor =Flt. Lt. Jerry Rawlings
birth_date =March 21, 1937
birth_place =Akropong, Ghana
death_date =death date and age |1979|6|26|1937|3|21
death_place =Accra, Ghana
constituency =
party ="Military"
spouse =Mrs. Emily Akuffo
profession =Soldier
religion =Christian


footnotes =Head of State of a military government|

Lieutenant General Frederick William Kwasi Akuffo (March 21 1937 – June 26 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 and trained at the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst, UK among others. He was married to Mrs. Emily Akuffo. He has also attended the [http://ndc.nic.in/ 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 June 4 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 June 26 1979 at the Teshie Military Range, Ghana.

ee also

*List of Ghana Heads of state by age

ources

* [http://www.ghana50.gov.gh/presidency/index.php?op=getAkufo Ghana@50:Leaders of Ghana]

Persondata
NAME=Akuffo, Frederick William Kwasi
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=
SHORT DESCRIPTION=Soldier, politician, former Chief of Defence Staff and Head of state of Ghana
DATE OF BIRTH=March 21 1937
PLACE OF BIRTH=Akropong, Eastern Region, Ghana
DATE OF DEATH=June 26 1979
PLACE OF DEATH=Accra, Greater Accra Region, Ghana