Business magnate and former AngloGold Ashanti Chairman, Sir Sam Jonah, has urged the Ghana Armed Forces and President John Mahama to reconsider the decision to strip former Head of State, General Ignatius Kutu Acheampong, of his military rank following his execution in 1979.
Speaking at the second edition of the General Kutu Acheampong Public Lecture Series, Sir Sam Jonah argued that the former military leader’s execution without trial should not permanently erase his military identity and years of service to Ghana.
He maintained that restoring Acheampong’s rank would not amount to endorsing his administration or disregarding the experiences of Ghanaians who suffered under his rule.
Rather, he said, the appeal was based on the principles of due process and the need to address what he described as a historical injustice.
“Due process is not a reward for the virtuous. It is a protection for all of us, and above all, for those who we have decided we even dislike,” he said.
Sir Sam Jonah observed that other military officers executed during the same period have retained their military titles in historical records, while Acheampong is still commonly referred to as Mr Acheampong.
He described the disparity as an unresolved national issue and called on the President, the Armed Forces Council and Parliament, where necessary, to consider measures to restore the former Head of State’s military identity.
Among his proposals are the reinstatement of Acheampong’s rank of General, the restoration of his name to the rolls of the Ghana Military Academy and the return of honours associated with his rank to his family.
He also cited 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 rank should similarly be reviewed.
Beyond the circumstances surrounding his death, Sir Sam Jonah called for a balanced assessment of Acheampong’s legacy, pointing to initiatives undertaken during his administration.
These included Operation Feed Yourself, which sought to boost domestic food production and agricultural self-sufficiency, as well as policies aimed at increasing Ghanaian participation in the mining industry.
He also recalled the decision by Acheampong’s government to facilitate the return of Ghana’s first President, Dr Kwame Nkrumah, from exile for burial in the country in 1972.
Sir Sam Jonah said restoring Acheampong’s military rank would not alter the historical record but would demonstrate Ghana’s willingness to confront its past in its entirety.
“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,” he said.
