Minister for Defence (Ghana)


The Minister for Defence is the Ghanaian government official responsible for the Ministry of Defence of Ghana and the Ghana Armed Forces. The Minister for Defence since February 2017 is the Hon. Dominic Nitiwul. He was appointed by President Nana Akufo-Addo.

List of ministers

The ministry has had a succession of ministers since independence starting with the Governor - General. During the rule of the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council, there was no specific minister as the council as a body was responsible for Defence.
NumberMinisterTook officeLeft officeGovernmentParty
1Charles Noble Arden-Clarke19571958Nkrumah governmentGovernor-General
2Rev Stephen Allen Dzirasa 19581959Nkrumah governmentConvention People's Party
3Kwame Nkrumah 19591960Nkrumah governmentConvention People's Party
4Charles de Graft Dickson 19601961Nkrumah governmentConvention People's Party
5Kofi Baako Sep 196124 Feb 1966Nkrumah governmentConvention People's Party
6Lt. General J. A. Ankrah19661968National Liberation CouncilMilitary government
7Lt. General Akwasi Afrifa19681969National Liberation CouncilMilitary government
8J. Kwesi Lamptey 19691971Busia governmentProgress Party
9Bukari K. Adama 27 Jan 197112 Jan 1972Busia governmentProgress Party
10General I. K. AcheampongJan 19729 Oct 1975National Redemption CouncilMilitary government
10General I. K. Acheampong9 Oct 19755 Jul 1978Supreme Military CouncilMilitary government
11Lt. General Fred Akuffo5 Jul 19784 Jun 1979Supreme Military CouncilMilitary government
1219791979Armed Forces Revolutionary CouncilMilitary government
13Riley K. S. Poku197931 Dec 1981Limann governmentPeople's National Party
14Naa Polku Konkuu Chirii1982Nov 1983Provisional National Defence CouncilMilitary government
15Rear Admiral C. K. Dzang22 Nov 19831985Provisional National Defence CouncilMilitary government
16Mahama Iddrisu19856 Jan 1993Provisional National Defence CouncilMilitary government
16Mahama Iddrisu7 Jan 1993Feb 1999Rawlings governmentNational Democratic Congress
17Lt. Col. E. K. DonkohFeb 19996 Jan 2001Rawlings governmentNational Democratic Congress
18Kwame Addo-Kufuor 7 Jan 20016 Aug 2007Kufuor governmentNew Patriotic Party
19Albert Kan-Dapaah 6 Aug 20076 Jan 2009Kufuor governmentNew Patriotic Party
20Lt. Gen. Joseph Henry Smith6 Jan 200918 Feb 2013Mills governmentNational Democratic Congress
20Lt. Gen. Joseph Henry Smith24 Jul 201218 Feb 2013Mahama governmentNational Democratic Congress
21Mark Owen Woyongo 14 Feb 201316 July 2014Mahama governmentNational Democratic Congress
22Benjamin Kunbuor 16 Jul 2014Feb 2017Mahama governmentNational Democratic Congress
21Dominic Nitiwul Feb 2017IncumbentAkufo-Addo governmentNew Patriotic Party