Provisional National Defence Council

The Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC) was the name of the Ghanaian government after the People's National Party's elected government was overthrown by Jerry Rawlings, the former head of the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council, in a coup d'état on 31 December 1981. He remained in power until 7 January 1993. In a statement, Rawlings said that a "holy war" was necessary due to the PNP's failure to provide effective leadership and the collapse of the national economy and state services.

Provisional National Defence Council
Overview
Established	31 December 1981 (1981-12-31)
Dissolved	7 January 1993 (1993-01-07)
State	Ghana
Leader	Chairman (Jerry Rawlings)
Headquarters	Accra

The PNDC was a military dictatorship that induced civilians to participate in governance. Most of its members were civilians. Its policies reflected a revolutionary government that was pragmatic in its approach.^{[clarification needed]} The economic objectives of the PNDC were to halt Ghana's economic decay, stabilize the economy, and stimulate economic growth. The PNDC also brought a change in the people's attitude from a 'government will provide' position to participating in nation-building.^{[citation needed]}

The PNDC provided a new constitution in 1992 and held elections that year. Rawlings's party, the NDC, won the presidential election with 58% of the vote. The opposition boycotted the subsequent parliamentary elections.^[1]

Members

The seven original members of the PNDC from its inception were as follows:

• Flt. Lt. Jerry John Rawlings - Chairman
• Brigadier Joseph Nunoo-Mensah - retired Chief of Defence Staff
• Reverend Dr. Vincent Kwabena Damuah
• Warrant Officer I Joseph Adjei Buadi
• Sergeant Daniel Alolga Akata Pore
• Joachim Amartey Quaye
• Chris Bukari Atim

Brigadier Nunoo-Mensah, who had been retired by the Limann government, was recalled as Chief of Defence Staff and the second-in-command of the PNDC. Reverend Damuah was an outspoken priest of the Roman Catholic Church in Ghana. Joachim Amartey Quaye was a labour leader who led a strike at the Ghana Industrial Holding Corporation (GIHOC) and was removed by Hilla Limann's government. Chris Bukari Atim was a student leader and friend of Jerry Rawlings. Adjei Buadi and Akata Pore were junior ranks in the Ghana Air Force.^[2]

Departures and replacements

Over the years, some people were added to the membership and others left. A number left in 1982 due to ideological differences. Joachim Amartey Quaye was executed for his involvement in the murder of three senior judges and a retired army officer. Rev. Damuah who was suspended from the Catholic Church because of his involvement in the government left in late 1982 and started his own church later called the Afrikania Mission, an organization devoted to the promotion of African Traditional Religion.^[3]

Additions Mrs. Aanaa Naamua Enin- appointed August 1982[4][5] Ebo Tawiah - appointed August 1982[4] Naa Polku Konkuu Chiiri - appointed January 1983[6] Justice D.F. Annan- appointed 1984[7] Alhaji Mahama Iddrisu - appointed October 1984[8][9] Captain (rtd) Kojo Tsikata - July 1985[9] P. V. Obeng - July 1985[9] Major General Arnold Quainoo Maj. Gen. Winston C.M. Mensa-Wood Captain (rtd) Kingsley Bruce Air Vice Marshal A. H. K. Dumashie Dr. Mrs. Mary Grant - appointed 1989[5] Mrs. Susanna Al-Hassan - appointed 1985[5]

Departures Brigadier Joseph Nunoo Mensah - resigned 1982 Rev. Dr. Kwabena Damuah - resigned 1982 Warrant Officer I Mumuni Seidu- resigned June 1994 Warrant Officer I Joseph Adjei Buadi - resigned December 1984 Sergeant Daniel Alolga Akata Pore - 1982 Joachim Amartey Quaye - executed August 1982[10] Chris Bukari Atim - resigned 1982 Ebo Tawiah Naa Polku Konkuu Chiiri - died 25 August 1984[8] Brigadier W. M. Mensa-Wood - died 1992[11] Captain Kingsley Bruce Mrs. Susanna Al-Hassan - departed 1987 Mrs. Aanaa Naamua Enin - left in 1989

August 1992 onwards — final membership

• Flt. Lt. Jerry John Rawlings - Chairman
• Justice D. F. Annan
• Alhaji Mahama Iddrisu
• Captain (rtd) Kojo Tsikata
• P. V. Obeng
• Lieutenant General Arnold Quainoo
• Air Vice Marshal Dumashie
• Dr. Mrs. Mary Grant

Membership

PNDC Members
Position	Name	From	To	Notes
Head of state of Ghana and Chairman	Flight Lieutenant Jerry John Rawlings	December 1981	January 1993
Chief of the Defence Staff	Brigadier Joseph Nunoo-Mensah[12]	January 1982	November 1982	Reappointed Chief of Defence Staff from Jan 1982 to Nov 1982
Member	Vincent Kwabena Damuah[13]	January 1982	1982	Catholic priest
Member	Warrant Officer I Joseph Adjei Buadi[14]	January 1982	December 1984[15]	Coordinator for the Armed Forces Defence Committees[16]
Member	Sergeant Daniel Alolga Akata Pore	January 1982	1982	Secretary Armed Forces Defence Committee[16][17]
Member	Joachim Amartey Quaye	January 1982	August 1982	Union leader
Member	Chris Bukari Atim	January 1982	1982	General Secretary of the June Fourth Movement, Former First national vice president of the National Union of Ghana Students[17]
Member	Aanaa Naamua Enin[11]	August 1982[4][18]	December 1989
Member	Ebo Tawiah[11]	August 1982[4]	?	Trade Union leader
Member	Alhaji Mahama Iddrisu[19][11]	October 1984	January 1993	Politician and businessman
Member	Captain Kojo Tsikata[11]	July 1985	January 1993	National Security and Foreign Affairs, Retired soldier
Chairman of Committee of Secretaries	Paul Victor Obeng[11]	July 1985	January 1993	Former student leader and Mechanical Engineer
Member	Lieutenant General Arnold Quainoo[11]	1982	January 1993	Chief of Defence Staff from 1983 to 1999
Member	Naa Polku Konkuu Chiiri	1983[6]	1984	Nandom Naa Died in office
Member and Chairman of the National Commission for Democracy	Justice Daniel Francis Annan[11]	1984	January 1993	Retired Appeals Court Judge
Member	Susanna Al-Hassan	1985	1987	Ghana's first female minister in 1961 and author
Member	Maj. Gen. Winston C. M. Mensa-Wood[11]	1987	1992	Chief of the Defence Staff, 1990 - 1992 Died in office March 1992
Member	Mary Grant	1989	January 1993	Medical doctor
Member	Air Vice Marshal A. H. K. Dumashie	1992	January 1993	Chief of Air Staff until 1992 Chief of Defence Staff from March 1992.

Secretaries

The officials in charge of the various ministries were designated as Secretaries of state.

List of secretaries (ministers) of state
Portfolio	Secretary	From	To	Notes
Chairman of Committee of Secretaries	Paul Victor Obeng	1982	1993
Secretary for Foreign Affairs	Obed Asamoah[20][21]	January 1982	1993
Secretary for the Interior	Johnny F. S. Hansen[20][22]	January 1982	Apr 1982
	J. M. Ewa[22]	Apr 1982	Dec 1982
	Kofi Djin[22]	Dec 1982	Nov 1985
	Major General Winston Mensa-Wood[23][21]	Nov 1985	Oct 1987
	Nii Okaidja Adamafio[23]	Oct 1987	May 1991
	Nana Akuoko Sarpong[23]	May 1991	Mar 1992
	Colonel E. M. Osei-Wusu[23]	Mar 1992	Jan 1993
Secretary for Finance	Kwesi Botchwey[21]	1982	1993
Secretary for Defence	Naa Polku Konkuu Chirii[24]	1982	Nov 1983
	Rear Admiral C. K. Dzang[24]	22 Nov 1983	1985
	Mahama Iddrisu[24][19]	1985	6 Jan 1993
Attorney General and Secretary for Justice	G. E. K. Aikins[20][21]	January 1982	1992
	E.G. Tanoh	1992	1993
Secretary for Education and Culture	Christina Ama Ata Aidoo[20]	January 1982	1983
	V. C. Dadson[25]	1983	?
	Joyce Aryee[21]	1985	1987
	Mohammed Ben Abdallah[26]	1986	1987
	K. B. Asante	1988	1989
	Mary Grant	1989	1993
Secretary for Agriculture[27]	Eugene Bortei-Doku[20][28]	January 1982	Dec 1983
	John Akparibo Ndebugre	1984	1985
	Isaac Adjei-Marfo[29]	1985	1986
	Stephen Obimpeh[21]	1986	1992
	Ibrahim Adam	1992	1993
Secretary for Cocoa Affairs	Isaac Adjei-Marfo	?	?
Secretary for Chieftaincy Affairs	E.G. Tanoh	1987	1992
	Nana Akuoko Sarpong	1992	1993
Secretary for Trade Secretary for Trade and Tourism	K. B. Asante[20][30]	January 1982	1986
	Kofi Djin[21]	1986	1992
	John Bawa	1992	1993
Secretary for Culture and Tourism	Asiedu Yirenkyi[20]	January 1982	1984
	Mohammed Ben Abdallah[21]	?	1986
Secretary for Local Government and Rural Development	John Agyekum Kufuor[20]	January 1982	1982
	Kwame Dwemoh-Kesse[25]	1983	?
	William H. Yeboah	1986	?
	Kofi Acquaah Harrison[21]	c. 1986	?
	Joyce Aryee[26]	1986	1988
	Kwamena Ahwoi	?	?
Secretary for Rural Development and Co-operatives	Kofi Ankomah[20]	January 1982	1982
	Kofi Acquaah Harrison[26]	1982	1986
Secretary for Fuel and Power	E. Appiah Korang[21]	January 1982[20]	1987
	Ato Ahwoi	1987	1993
Secretary for Transport and Communications	Mahama Iddrisu[20]	January 1982	1986
	Kwame M. Peprah[21]	1986	1987
	Yaw Donkor	1987	1992
	Kwame M. Peprah	1992	1993
Secretary for Roads and Highways	Dr. E. G. A. Don-Arthur	1982	1983
	Yaw E. O. Donkor[21]	1983	1987
	Mensah Gbedemah	1987	1992
	Richard Commey	1992	1993
Secretary for Lands and Natural Resources	Kwesi Renner	1983	1986
	George Adamu[21]	1986	1987
	Kwame Peprah	1987	1992
	J. A. Dansoh	1992	1993
Secretary for Industry, Science and Technology	Kaku Kyiamah[20]	January 1982	1983[31]
	G. B. Opoku[31]	1983	1986
	Francis Acquah[21]	1986	1992
	K. A. Butah	1992	1993
Secretary for Information	Ato Austin[20][32]	January 1982	1983
	Joyce Aryee	1983	1985
	Kofi Totobi Quakyi[21]	1985	1993
Secretary for Health	Charles Buadu	1983	1986
	E. G. Tanoh[33]	c. 1986	?
	Air Commodore F. W. Klutse[21]	1986	1988
	Nana Akuoko Sarpong	1988	1991
	Stephen Obimpeh	1992	1993
Secretary for Labour and Social Welfare Secretary for Mobilization and Productivity	Adisa Munkaila	1982	1983
	Ato Austin[25]	1983	1986
	W. H. Yeboah[21]	1986	1987
	Huudu Yahaya[34]	c. 1988	?
	George Adamu	?	1992
	D. S. Boateng	1992	1993
Secretary for Works and Housing	Dr. E. G. A. Don-Arthur	1983
	Mawuse Dake[20][35]	January 1982	1983[31]
	Alhassan Abubakar[25]	1983	?
	Kofi Sam[21]	c. 1986	?
	Emmanuel Appiah Korang
	Kenneth Ampratwum
Secretary Responsible For International Economic Cooperation	Dr. E. G. A. Don-Arthur	1986	1990
Secretary for Youth and Sports	Zaya Yeebo[20][36]	January 1982	1983
	Amarkai Amarteifio	1983	1986
	Ato Austin[21]	1986	1988
	Kwame Saarah-Mensah[37]	1988	1992
	Arnold Quainoo	1992	1993
National Defence Committee	Mawuse Dake[25]	1983	?
PDCs and WDCs	Akrasi-Sarpong[25]	c. 1983	?
Regional Secretaries
Ashanti Regional Secretary	J. Y. Ansah	?	?
	F. A. Jantuah[25]	1983	?
	Colonel Osei Owusu[38]	c. 1986
Brong Ahafo Region	K. Saarah-Mensah[20]	January 1982	1982
	J. H. Owusu Acheampong	1982	?
	C. S. Takyi[25]	1983	?
	Colonel Alex Antwi[38]	c. 1986
Central Regional Secretary	Dr. E. G. A. Don-Arthur	1986
	E. G. Tanoh[25]	1983	?
	Ato Austin	1988	1993
	Lt. Colonel E. A. Baidoo[38]	c. 1986
Eastern Regional Secretary	Fred Ohene-Kena	1982	?
	Daniel O. Agyekum[26][38]	?	1986
	Kofi Acquaah Harrison[26]	1986	?
Greater Accra Regional Secretary	Atukwei Okai[20][39]	January 1982	1982
	Nii Abeo Kyerekuandah[25]	1983	?
	Nii Okaidja Adamafio	1982	?
	Colonel W. A. Thompson	1985	1986
	Selina Taylor[19][38]	c. 1986
	Colonel W. A. Thompson	1988	1991
	Nii Okaidja Adamafio	1991	?
Northern Regional Secretary	Thomas Ibrahim	1982	?
	D. S. Zachariah[38]	c. 1986
Upper East Region	Kundab Mobilla	1982	?
	J. E. Sakyi[38]	c. 1986
Upper West Region	Yelibora Antumini	1982	1983
	Joseph Yieleh Chireh[31]	1983	?
Volta Regional Secretary	Francis Agbley	1982	?
	Yao Fiagbe[40]	c. 1982
	Richard Seglah[38]	c. 1986
Western Region	J. R. E. Amenlema	1982	?
	Dr. E. G. A. Don-Arthur[25]	1983	1986
	Colonel W. A. Thompson[38]	1986	1988