The Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC) was the government of Ghana

Ghana

Ghana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...

 from June 4, 1979 to September 24, 1979. It came to power in a bloody coup that removed the Supreme Military Council

Supreme Military Council, Ghana

The Supreme Military Council was the ruling government of Ghana from October 9, 1975 to June 4, 1979. Its chairman was Colonel I.K. Acheampong. He was also the Head of state of Ghana due to his chairmanship.- SMC I and II :...

, another military regime, from power. The June 4 coup was preceded by an abortive attempt on May 15, 1979 when Flt. Lt. Jerry Rawlings

Jerry Rawlings

Jerry John Rawlings is a former leader of the Republic of Ghana and now the African Union envoy to Somalia. Rawlings ruled Ghana as a military dictator in 1979 and from 1981 to 1992 and then as the first elected president of the Fourth Republic from 1993 to 2001...

 and other ranks were arrested. Their trial only served to make them popular till they were eventually released on the morning of June 4 by young officers and noncommissioned officers inspired by Rawlings.

The regime started a 'House cleaning' exercise against corruption. Three former military leaders of Ghana, Lt. Gen. Afrifa

Akwasi Afrifa

Brigadier Akwasi Amankwaa Afrifa was a Ghanaian soldier, farmer, a traditional ruler and politician.He was the head of state of Ghana and leader of the military government in 1969 and then Chairman of the Presidential Commission between 1969 and 1970. He continued as a farmer and political activist...

, Gen. Acheampong and Lt. Gen. Akuffo

Fred Akuffo

Lieutenant General Frederick William Kwasi Akuffo 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 in Ghana from 1978 to 1979...

 were all executed together with five other senior officers deemed to have been corrupt by the special courts set up by the government.

The AFRC allowed already scheduled elections

Ghanaian presidential election, 1979

Presidential elections were held in Ghana on 18 June 1979 , with a second round on 9 July 1979. The result was a victory for Hilla Limann of the People's National Party, who won 62.0% of the votes in the second round....

 to go ahead and handed over to the duly elected Dr. Hilla Limann

Hilla Limann

Hilla Limann was the President of Ghana from 24 September, 1979 to 31 December, 1981. Eventually he became a diplomat, and served in Switzerland. Limann, whose original last name was Babini, was born in the northern Ghanaian town of Gwolu in the Sissala West District of the Upper West Region to a...

 of the People's National Party

People's National Party (Ghana)

The People's National Party was the ruling party in Ghana during the Third Republic .All political parties in Ghana were disbanded following the January 1972 military coup led by Col. Ignatius Kutu Acheampong. When political activities resumed in 1979, there were five parties contesting the...

 who became the only president of the Third Republic of Ghana.

Membership

The AFRC consisted of 15 members.

AFRC Members
Position	Name	Dates	Notes
Head of state of Ghana and Chairman	Flight Lieutenant Jerry John Rawlings Jerry Rawlings Jerry John Rawlings is a former leader of the Republic of Ghana and now the African Union envoy to Somalia. Rawlings ruled Ghana as a military dictator in 1979 and from 1981 to 1992 and then as the first elected president of the Fourth Republic from 1993 to 2001...	Jun 1979 – Sep 1979
Official Spokesman	Captain Kojo osahene Boakye Gyan	Jun 1979 – Sep 1979
Member	Major Mensah-Poku	Jun 1979 – Sep 1979
Member	Major Mensah Gbedemah	Jun 1979 – Sep 1979
Member	Lieutenant Commander H. C. Apaloo	Jun 1979 – ?	Died following traffic accident
Member	Captain Kwabena Baah Achamfuor	Jun 1979 – Sep 1979
Member	Warrant Officer (II) Harry K. Obeng	Jun 1979 – Sep 1979
Member	Staff Seargent Alex Adjei	Jun 1979 – Sep 1979
Member	Corporal Owusu Boateng	Jun 1979 – Sep 1979
Member	Leading Aircraftman John N. Gatsiko	Jun 1979 – Sep 1979
Member	Lance Corporal Peter Tasiri	Jun 1979 – Sep 1979
Member	Lance Corporal Ansah Atiemo	Jun 1979 – Sep 1979
Member	Lance Corporal Sarkodee-Addo	Jun 1979 – Sep 1979
Member	Corporal Sheikh Tetteh	Jun 1979 – Sep 1979
Member	Private Owusu Adu	Jun 1979 – Sep 1979

• Captain Henry Smith - one of the architects of the uprising and described by officers and soldiers in June 1979 as the officer who was responsible for the success of the uprising - declined membership of the AFRC. He was,nevertheless,given the portfolio of "special duties" and was also put in charge of the Foreign Affairs ministry.

Lieutenant Commander HC Apaloo died in a road traffic accident before the end of AFRC rule.

Commissioners

Commissioners were in place of Ministers of state and most carried on from the previous government. A number of commissioners had to cover additional ministries during the period of the AFRC.

List of commissioners (ministers) of state
Portfolio	Commissioner	Time frame	Notes
Commissioner for Foreign Affairs Minister for Foreign Affairs (Ghana) The Minister for Foreign Affairs is the Ghana government official who is responsible for overseeing the country's foreign policy and international diplomacy. The minister is usually one of the most senior members of Cabinet....	Gloria Amon Nikoi Gloria Amon Nikoi Gloria Amon Nikoi was the Ghanaian foreign minister in 1979 under the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council government. As of 2007, she is the only lady to hold this position. She is also a career diplomat. In addition, she is the widow of Dr...	1979
Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice	A.N.E. Amissah	1979
Commissioner for Finance and Economic Planning Commissioner for Trade and Tourism	Dr. J.L.S. Abbey	1979
Commissioner for Interior and Inspector General of Police Inspector General of Police of the Ghana Police Service The Inspector General of Police is the most senior Police Officer in Ghana. The IGP is appointed by the President of Ghana acting in consultation with the Council of State. The IGP is the head of the Police service and is responsible for the operational control and the administration of the Police...	C.O. Lamptey	1979
Commissioner for Lands, Natural Resources Commissioner for Fuel and Power	George Benneh	1979
Commissioner for Industries, Labour and Social Welfare	Anthony Woode	1979
Commissioner for Transport and Communications Commissioner for Works and Housing	George Harlley	1979
Commissioner for Agriculture	Abayifa Karbo	1979
Commissioner for Information and Cocoa Affairs	Kwame Afreh	1979
Commissioner for Consumer Affairs and Cooperatives	Nii Anyetei Kwakrwanyra	1979
Commissioner for Local Government and Sports	Kofi Badu	1979
Commissioner for Education and Culture Commissioner for Health	E. Evans Anfom	1979
Regional Commissioners
Ashanti Region Ashanti Region The Ashanti Region is the third largest of 10 administrative regions in Ghana, occupying a total land surface of 24389 square kilometers or 10.2 per cent of the total land area of Ghana. In terms of population, however, it is the most populated region with a population of 3,612,950 in 2000,...	Colonel R. K. Zumah	1979
Brong Ahafo Region Brong-Ahafo Region The Brong-Ahafo Region is located in mid-western Ghana, between the Ashanti Region and the Northern Region. Its capital is Sunyani.This region was created in 1958. It contains many cultural and wildlife attractions, but it is less known to tourists than the Ashanti, Northern, Central, or Greater...	Lieutenant Commander I. K. Awuku	1979
Central Region Central Region (Ghana) The Central Region is one of Ghana's ten administrative regions. It is bordered by the Ashanti and Eastern regions to the north, Western region to the west, Greater Accra region to the east, and to the south by the Atlantic Ocean.-Districts:...	Dr. K. G. Erbynn	1979
Eastern Region Eastern Region (Ghana) The Eastern Region is one of Ghana's ten administrative regions. It covers an area of 19,323 square kilometres, which is about 8.1% of Ghana's total land area. The region is divided into administrative districts. The total number of districts were increased from 17 districts to 21...	S. H. Annancy	1979
Greater Accra Region Greater Accra Region The Greater Accra Region is the smallest of Ghana's 10 administrative regions in terms of area, occupying a total land surface of 3,245 square kilometres or 1.4 per cent of the total land area of Ghana...	E. R. K. Dwemoh	1979
Northern Region Northern Region (Ghana) The Northern Region is the largest area of Ghana. As of 2009, it is divided into 20 districts. The region's capital is Tamale. Climatically, religiously, linguistically, and culturally, the region differs greatly from the politically and economically dominating regions of central and southern...	Lieuenant Colonel L. K. Kodjiku	1979
Upper Region	Major M. Gyabaah	1979
Volta Region Volta Region Volta Region is one of Ghana's ten administrative regions. It is to the east of Lake Volta. Its capital is Ho.-List of districts:The region has 18 districts consisting of 3 municipal and 15 ordinary districts:-Background:...	Lieutenant Commander G.K. Amevor	1979
Western Region Western Region (Ghana) The Western Region of Ghana, reaching from the Côte d'Ivoire border in the west to the Central Region in the east, includes the large twin city of Sekondi-Takoradi on the coast, coastal Axim, and a hilly inland area including Elubo. It includes Ghana's southernmost location, Cape Three Points,...	J. S. Amelemah	1979