Business magnate Sir Sam Jonah has called on President John Mahama and the Ghana Armed Forces to restore the military rank of former Head of State, General Ignatius Kutu Acheampong. Jonah argued that Acheampong's execution in 1979 without trial should not permanently erase his military identity and years of service. He made the appeal at the second edition of the General Kutu Acheampong Public Lecture Series.
General Acheampong was stripped of his rank by decree before being executed by firing squad on June 16, 1979, without being convicted by any court. Sir Sam Jonah said restoring Acheampong's rank should not be interpreted as an endorsement of his administration or an attempt to erase the suffering of people who experienced his rule. Rather, it is rooted in the principles of due process and the need to correct what he considers an enduring historical injustice.
Sir Sam Jonah noted that other former military leaders who were executed during the same period have retained their military titles in historical records, while Acheampong continues to be referred to as Mr Acheampong. He described the situation as an unhealed national wound and urged the President, the Armed Forces Council and Parliament to take steps to restore the former Head of State's military identity.
Sir Sam Jonah proposed restoring Acheampong's rank of General, reinstating his name on the rolls of the Ghana Military Academy, and returning to his family the honours associated with his rank. He referenced a 2019 acknowledgement by the Ghana Armed Forces that the executions carried out in 1979 were an aberration, arguing that the decision to strip Acheampong of his military rank should equally be reconsidered.
Beyond the circumstances of his death, Sir Sam Jonah urged Ghanaians to acknowledge some of the initiatives associated with Acheampong's administration, including Operation Feed Yourself, which promoted domestic food production and agricultural self-sufficiency. He also highlighted policies relating to Ghanaian participation in the mining industry and the decision to facilitate the return of Ghana's first President, Dr Kwame Nkrumah, from exile for burial in Ghana in 1972.
Sir Sam Jonah stated that restoring Acheampong's rank would not amount to rewriting Ghana's history but completing it. He said, "As Ghana approaches 70 years of independence, I can't think of no better proof that this republic is confident enough to tell its true whole story. Restoring a rank does not rewrite history. It completes it."
The call to restore General Acheampong's military rank has been met with attention from various stakeholders. Sir Sam Jonah's proposal aims to address what he sees as a historical injustice and promote due process. The outcome of his appeal remains to be seen, as it requires consideration from the President, the Armed Forces Council, and Parliament.
Key points
- Sir Sam Jonah urges President Mahama to restore General Acheampong's military rank, citing due process and historical injustice.
- General Acheampong was stripped of his rank before his execution in 1979 without trial.
- Restoring Acheampong's rank would not rewrite history but complete it, according to Sir Sam Jonah.
