Ignatius Kutu Acheampong

Ignatius Kutu Acheampong (also Akeyampong; born September 23, 1931 in Kumasi, † June 16, 1979 in Accra ) was from 1972 until July 5, 1978 head of state of Ghana.

Soldier

Acheampong worked after school from 1945 to 1951 in a sawmill in Kumasi and attended next to a college. In 1951, he joined the army of the then British colony of the Gold Coast. After the independence of Ghana in 1957, he attended courses in England and for a time was stationed in the British Armed Forces in Germany before he returned as a lieutenant in his home. 1960 and 1961 he took part in the United Nations Operation in the Congo. For further training, he was also sent to Fort Leavenworth in Kansas.

In 1966 he was involved in the military coup against the president Kwame Nkrumah, without playing a leading role. The next five years he was chairman of the management committee for the West of Ghana. In 1971 he became commander of an infantry brigade.

Head of state

January 13, 1972 directed Colonel Acheampong military coup against President Edward Akufo - Addo and his Prime Minister Kofi Abrefa Busia. The overthrown government had made himself unpopular by a drastic devaluation of the national currency Cedi. This measure took back Acheampong and announced in future to use no foreign debt. As chairman of the Junta National Redemption Council, he was a new head of state and transported later to the general. The junta was renamed on October 9, 1975 in the Supreme Military Council, said Acheampong Chairman remained.

During his reign, some programs were held to improve the infrastructure and training systems. In addition, the existing imperial system was abolished in favor of the metric system of units, and also a native of the British period on the left. His government was said to have a high level of corruption, since the beginning of 1977 there was increasing resistance against the military government. On March 30, 1978 its plans for a mixed government ( Union Government) approved of the military and civilians in a referendum by a majority of about 60 percent of the vote. A palace coup of other military continued its domination on 5 July 1978 to an end. Chief of Staff Fred Akuffo became his successor. Acheampong was accused of a failed economic policy and were banished him to his hometown.

After the coup of Jerry Rawlings on June 16, 1979, were the other two ex- heads of state Afrifa and Akuffo and five other Generals shot summarily. President John Agyekum Kufuor ordered in April 2001, to exhume the bodies of the shot, to allow families a decent burial. Kufuor was in the January 1972 ousted by Acheampong civilian government as Deputy Minister.