GHANA: POLICE AND MILITARY PARADE MARKS FIFTH ANNIVERSARY OF OVERTHROW BY THE ARMY OF THE GOVERNMENT OF DR KOFI BUSIA.

Record ID: 451502

  • Title: GHANA: POLICE AND MILITARY PARADE MARKS FIFTH ANNIVERSARY OF OVERTHROW BY THE ARMY OF THE GOVERNMENT OF DR KOFI BUSIA.
  • Date: 14th January 1977
  • Summary: 1. GV PAN: Acheampong in land rover inspecting guard of honour. (3 shots) 0.27 2. SV: Sitole sitting with other officials. (2 shots) 0.37 3. SV: Nkomo watching parade. (2 shots) 0.46 4. SV: crowd watching parade. 0.51 5. SV: soldiers parading with flags. 1.00 6. SV: Acheampong saluting. 1.04 7. SV: Nkomo among other African leaders watching parade. 1.07 8. GV: parade in progress. (2 shots) 1.22 9. SV: Nkomo and leaders watching parade. 1.26 10. SV: women soldiers march past (2 shots) 1.41 11. SV: police on foot and mounted police parading. (2 shots) 1.55 12. GV PAN: armoured vehicle drive past. 2.08 13. GV: jets fly overhead 2.19 Initials RH/MW/AH/2330 Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 29th January 1977 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: ACCRA, GHANA
  • Country: Ghana
  • Reuters ID: LVACYLJO5WZA1HK3ACCI2TR8SHTZ
  • Story Text: INTRODUCTION: Ghana marked its fifth anniversary of military rule with a combined armed forces and police force parade at the Independence Square in the capital, Accra, on Thursday (13 January).

    SYNOPSIS: A National Redemption Council, under the chairmanship of General Ignatius Acehmeapong, was given control of the country after the army took power in a coup d'etat on 13 January, 1972. The coup followed increasing economic and political difficulties under Dr. Kofi Busia's Progress Party. Major government changes took place in October 1975, and administrative authority was transferred from the NRC to a supreme Military council.

    Rival Rhodesian nationalist leaders, Rev Ndabaningi Sitole and Joshua Nkomo, were both guests at the anniversary celebrations. Mr. Sitole caused a furore when he claimed that five African states had put their support behind the so-called Patriotic Front, jointly led by Mr Nkomo and Robert Mugabe. The Ghana News Agency quoted Mr. sitole as saying the decision was a device to install Mr Nkomo as further leader of Rhodesia.

    General Acheampong, addressing the parade, assured the country that after the "necessary sifting and consolidation", the government would present to the people a model constitution. A week before he had announced the appointment of a 14-man committee to plan a return to civilian rule. The Head of State said the country's history had shown that time of strain and disaster brought out the best in Ghanians. But he warned that the government would not tolerate anyone agitating for secession for any part of Ghana. He said his ruling supreme military council was determined to preserve and protect the territorial integrity of the country. The Ghana News agency said he was referring to certain self-proclaimed exiles who had been pressing for Ghana's Volta region to join the republic of Togo.

    General Acheampong, praised the vigilance of Ghana's relatively large number of armed forces for stamping out any subversive forces in the country. He said it also demonstrated the unity within the armed forces. It was also gratifying to note, he said, the excellent performances by Ghana's contingents in the United Nations peacekeeping forces in the Middle East.
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