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This is a list of the governments of Ghana. Prior to independence, Ghana was under colonial rule in various forms including direct or indirect British rule. On February 12, 1951, the first Ghanaian government or cabinet, dominated by native Ghanaians was formed in the run up to independence on March 6, 1957. since then, Ghana has had a mix of democratically elected governments as well as military ones. It has had a one party state status between 1964 and 1966 while some of the military governments have had extensive civilian involvement such as the Provisional National Defence Council governments.
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Governments of Ghana before independence
| Party | Leader | Title | Start date | Notes |
| Committee of Merchants | various | Governor of the Committee of Merchants | 23 June 1751 | Start date of earliest governor available. |
| various | Governor | 27 March 1822 | ||
| Crown colony under Sierra Leone | ||||
| various | Governor | 27 March 1843 | ||
| Crown colony under direct British rule | ||||
| various | Governor | 4 March 1874 | ||
| Convention People’s Party | Dr. Kwame Nkrumah | Leader of Government Business | 12-Feb-51 | Nkrumah was released from prison to head this government |
Governments of Ghana since independence
| Party | Leader | Title | Start date | Notes |
| Nkrumah government | Dr. Kwame Nkrumah | Prime Minister | 6-Mar-57 | UK-style parliamentary government. First government after independence. |
| (Convention People’s Party) | ||||
| First Republic | ||||
| Nkrumah government | Dr. Kwame Nkrumah | President | 1-Jul-60 | Started as UK-style parliamentary government and ended as one party state between 1964 and 1966. |
| (Convention People’s Party) | ||||
| 24 February 1966 coup d’état | ||||
| National Liberation Council | Joseph Arthur Ankrah | Head of state | 24-Feb-66 | First military intervention in government |
| Lt. Gen. A.A. Afrifa | 3-Apr-69 | |||
| Second Republic | ||||
| Busia government | Dr. Kofi Busia | Prime Minister | 1-Oct-69 | Germany-style parliamentary government. |
| (Progress Party) | ||||
| 13 January 1972 coup | ||||
| National Redemption Council | Gen. I.K. Acheampong | Head of state | 13-Jan-72 | Gen. Acheampong was removed in a bloodless palace coup. |
| Supreme Military Council | 9-Oct-75 | |||
| Supreme Military Council | Lt. Gen. Fred W.K. Akuffo | Head of state | 5-Jul-78 | |
| 4 June 1979 coup | ||||
| Armed Forces Revolutionary Council | Flt. Lt. Jerry Rawlings | Head of state | 4-Jun-79 | Coup / military revolt by junior ranks of the Ghana Armed Forces after a failed attempt by Rawlings on 15 May 1979 |
| Third Republic | ||||
| Limann government | Dr. Hilla Limann | President | 24-Sep-79 | US-style presidential government |
| (People’s National Party) | ||||
| 31 December 1981 coup | ||||
| Provisional National Defence Council | Flt. Lt. Jerry Rawlings | Head of state | 31-Dec-81 | Rawlings second coup |
| Fourth Republic | ||||
| Rawlings government | Jerry John Rawlings | President | 7-Jan-93 | Rawlings resigned from the military to stand elections |
| (National Democratic Congress) | ||||
| Kufuor government | John Agyekum Kufuor | President | 7-Jan-01 | First change of government through elections in Ghana |
| (New Patriotic Party) | ||||
| Mills government | John Atta Mills | President | 7-Jan-09 | Died in office |
| (National Democratic Congress) | ||||
| Mahama government | John Dramani Mahama | President | 24-Jul-12 | |
| (National Democratic Congress) | ||||
| Akufo-Addo government | Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo | President | 7-Jan-17 | First opposition leader to win election against a sitting president in Ghana History |
| (New Patriotic Party) | ||||
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