Ghanaians voted in a constitutional referendum to replace the Commonwealth realm system with a republic featuring an executive presidency—clearing the way for the 1960 Constitution to take effect.
Ghana held its first presidential election alongside the republican referendum; Kwame Nkrumah won and was set to become president once the new constitution came into force.
The 1960 Constitution took effect and Ghana formally became a republic. Kwame Nkrumah was inaugurated as the country’s first president, replacing the governor-general as head of state.
Work began on the Akosombo (Volta) Dam—central to Nkrumah’s state-led industrialization strategy—eventually creating Lake Volta and transforming Ghana’s power supply.
Parliament established the Volta River Authority (VRA) under the Volta River Development Act, creating the institution tasked with developing hydroelectric generation and associated resettlement responsibilities tied to the Volta River Project.
A bomb attack at Kulungugu injured Nkrumah and intensified the regime’s security posture; the aftermath became entwined with detentions and high-profile political trials.
The OAU was established by African states to promote unity, coordinate decolonization efforts, and advance continental cooperation—an institutional milestone aligned with Nkrumah’s Pan-African agenda.
A constitutional referendum amended Ghana’s political system to formalize a one-party state and substantially expand presidential authority, consolidating power around the Convention People’s Party and Nkrumah.
The Akosombo Dam was completed in 1965, enabling large-scale hydroelectric generation and supporting industrial development (including power for aluminum processing), while also being associated with major social and environmental impacts around Lake Volta.
With opposition parties banned under the one-party system, all 198 Convention People’s Party nominees for the National Assembly were declared elected unopposed, eliminating competitive parliamentary elections.
Ghana adopted decimal currency: cedi notes and pesewa coins replaced the Ghanaian pound system, marking a major monetary reform during the First Republic.
On the day of the coup, the National Liberation Council seized power while Nkrumah was abroad. The new rulers dissolved the CPP and parliament and suspended the constitution, terminating the First Republic (1960–1966).
First Republic of Ghana (1960–1966)
