Major events that took place before Dr. Kwame Nkrumah’s overthrow in 1966

Recently leaked CIA documents shed light on the intricate plot hatched by various countries to overthrow Ghana’s first president, Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah.

While the precise details surrounding his 1966 ousting remain sealed in secret files, snippets of information have made their way into the public domain over the years.

According to a YouTube channel called Risen Africa, the leaked CIA documents provide insights into the involvement of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah’s close allies, members of his own government, security forces, and governments of the United States and the United Kingdom, among others, in orchestrating his eventual downfall.

The pivotal moment occurred in February 1966 when Dr. Kwame Nkrumah was on an international mission in Hanoi, Vietnam, aiming to negotiate peace during the Vietnam War.

Leaving a three-person presidential commission in charge of the country, he was unaware of the unfolding events back home.

The operation to overthrow him was executed by the National Liberation Council (NLC) under the code name “Operation Cold Chop,” which brought Ghana to a standstill.

Prior to his overthrow, Dr. Nkrumah’s popularity had waned considerably in the mid-1960s due to factors such as tax hikes, the introduction of a compulsory savings system, a wage and salary freeze, excessive government spending, and other challenges plaguing the nation.

Portions of the leaked documents revealed that the United States began withholding loans to Ghana in the years leading up to the coup, impacting foreign exchange reserves.

Additionally, measures were taken to lower world cocoa prices through stockpiling, depriving Dr. Nkrumah of vital financial backing in foreign exchange.

As part of the plot, the United States deployed Franklin Williams as the first African-American Ambassador to Ghana.

Williams, who assumed his role in January 1966, had reportedly boasted to friends about exerting control over the country.

Just three weeks before the coup, an editorial piece titled “Why Would the US Send an African American Ambassador to Ghana When They Did Not Support Racial Equity in Their Own Country and Would Surely Not Send a Black Ambassador to a European Nation” was published in ‘The Spark,’ a newspaper founded by Dr. Nkrumah.

Speculation arose that Nkrumah perceived the appointment as a disrespectful move, interpreting it as the US sending a Black Ambassador to carry out their covert intentions in Ghana.

Meanwhile, three days before the coup, Dr. Nkrumah traveled to Hanoi for peace negotiations.

The US government had encouraged his visit, assuring him that the bombing of North Vietnam would cease to ensure his safety and the safety of others on the mission.

Simultaneously, approximately 600 Ghanaian soldiers stationed in the Northern barracks received orders to march south to Accra.

They were told they were being mobilized to respond to the situation in Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe).

The coup leaders deceived the soldiers by claiming that Nkrumah was in Vietnam meeting with Ho Chi Minh in preparation for their deployment to the war-torn country.

Upon their arrival in Accra, the coup leaders informed the soldiers that they were being sent on a mission to combat the white nationalist movement led by Ian Smith in Zimbabwe.

They manipulated the soldiers into believing that Nkrumah’s administration was abusive and corrupt, justifying their actions to remove him from office.

The soldiers were divided into different groups and proceeded to capture key government officials and institutions, including the national broadcasting house and the international communications building.

The most intense fighting occurred at the Jubilee House, the presidential residence, where General E.A Kotoka threatened to bomb the entire building. Faced with this threat, the first lady, Fathia Nkrumah, urged the guards at Nkrumah’s residence to surrender.

In the early hours of February 24, 1966, the coup leaders announced the overthrow of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah to the entire nation.

Despite his ousting, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah’s unwavering commitment to Ghana’s progress and his belief in the potential of the Ghanaian people were evident in his speeches, books, and memoirs.

He rallied his fellow countrymen to stand strong in the face of adversity and work towards achieving political and economic independence.

SOURCE: Coverghana.com.gh