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Minister for Defence (Ghana)

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The Minister for Defence (Ghana) is the Ghanaian government official responsible for the Ministry of Defence of Ghana and the Ghana Armed Forces. The Minister for Defence from January 2025 until his death on 6th August 2025 was Dr. Edward Omane Boamah. He was appointed by President John Mahama at the start of his second stint as President of Ghana.

List of ministers

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The ministry has had a succession of ministers since independence, starting with the Governor-General. During the rule of the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council, there was no specific minister as the council as a body was responsible for Defence.[1]

During the years of military rule, the official in charge of the Ministry of Defence was often the Head of state. Thus, Lt General J. A..Ankrah, Lt. General A. A. Afrifa were in charge of the Ministry during the National Liberation Council era between 1966 and 1969. Between 1972 and 1979, General I. K. Acheampong and Lt. General F. W. K. Akuffo took charge of the Ministry under the National Redemption Council and the Supreme Military Council. The Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC) under Flt. Lieutenant Jerry Rawlings was the first military government not to have the Head of state head the ministry. The Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC) military government appointed civilian ministers to head the ministry.

Mahama Iddrisu has served longest in this office. He was the Minister of Defence for the last seven years of the military rule of the PNDC from 1985 to January 1993. He then continued as the first Minister to be appointed in the NDC government of the Fourth republic by Jerry Rawlings from January 1993 to February 1999, an additional six years making a total of fourteen years.

Number Minister Took office Left office Government Party
1Charles Noble Arden-Clarke19571958Nkrumah governmentGovernor-General
2Rev Stephen Allen Dzirasa (MP)19581959Convention People's Party
3Kwame Nkrumah (MP)19591960
4Charles de Graft Dickson[2] (MP)July 1960September 1961
5Kofi Baako[2] (MP)[3]September 196124 February 1966
3Emmanuel Kwasi Kotoka[2]June 1966July 1967National Liberation CouncilMilitary government
6Joseph Arthur Ankrah[2]July 19671968
7Akwasi Afrifa19681969
7Albert Kwesi Ocran[2]April 1969September 1969
8J. Kwesi Lamptey[2] (MP)September 1969January 1971Busia governmentProgress Party
9Bukari Adama[2] (MP)27 Jan 197112 Jan 1972
10Ignatius Kutu AcheampongJan 19729 Oct 1975National Redemption CouncilMilitary government
9 Oct 19755 Jul 1978Supreme Military Council
11Lt. General Fred Akuffo5 Jul 19784 Jun 1979
1219791979Armed Forces Revolutionary Council
13S. K. Riley-Poku197931 Dec 1981Limann governmentPeople's National Party
14Naa Polku Konkuu Chiiri1982Nov 1983Provisional National Defence CouncilMilitary government
15Rear Admiral C. K. Dzang22 Nov 19831985
16Mahama Iddrisu19856 Jan 1993
7 Jan 1993Feb 1999Rawlings governmentNational Democratic Congress
17Lt. Col. E. K. T. DonkohFeb 19996 Jan 2001
18Kwame Addo-Kufuor (MP)7 Jan 20016 Aug 2007Kufuor governmentNew Patriotic Party
19Albert Kan-Dapaah (MP)6 Aug 20076 Jan 2009
20Lt. Gen. Joseph Henry Smith6 Jan 200924 Jul 2012Mills governmentNational Democratic Congress
24 Jul 201218 Feb 2013Mahama government
21Mark Owen Woyongo (MP)14 Feb 201316 July 2014
22Benjamin Kumbuor (MP)16 Jul 2014Feb 2017
23Dominic Nitiwul (MP)Feb 20176 January 2025Akufo-Addo government New Patriotic Party
24Edward Omane Boamah30 January 2025[4][5]6 August 2025Mahama 2nd governmentNational Democratic Congress
Cassiel Ato Forson (MP)
(Acting Minister)		7 August 2025[6][7]6 August 2026
25 Kenneth Gilbert Adjei 7 August 2026[8] Incumbent

See also

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References

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  1. ↑ "Past Ministers for Defence". Official website. Ghana Armed Forces. Archived from the original on 8 April 2013. Retrieved 31 January 2013.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Bidwell, Robin Leonard (1978). Guide to African ministers. London: R. Collings. ISBN 0860360644.
  3. ↑ Kraus, Jon (April 1966). "Ghana Without Nkrumah - The Men In Charge". Africa Report. Archived from the original on 19 May 2007. Retrieved 21 May 2013.
  4. ↑ "Mahama swears-in third batch of 14 new ministers". ghanaweb.com. Retrieved 2 February 2025.
  5. ↑ "Mahama swears in third batch of Ministers - MyJoyOnline". www.myjoyonline.com. 30 January 2025. Retrieved 2 February 2025.
  6. ↑ "President names Ato Forson, Kofi Buah as acting Defence and Environment Ministers". ghanaweb.com. 7 August 2025. Retrieved 27 August 2025.
  7. ↑ "Ghana's finance minister made acting defence minister after fatal crashGhana's finance minister made acting defence minister after fatal crash". reuters.com. Reuters. 7 August 2025. Retrieved 27 August 2025.
  8. ↑ Mohammed Ali (26 August 2026). "Reshuffle: Brogya Genfi dropped as Deputy Minister of Defence, Pelpuo moved to Special initiatives". Graphic Online. Graphic Communications Group Ltd. Retrieved 27 August 2026.
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