Biography of Lt.Gen.Akwasi Amankwa Afrifa

Lt. Gen. Akwasi Amankwa Afrifa was a Ghanaian Military officer and a farmer..

Lieutenant General Akwasi Amankwa Afrifa was born on 24th April,1936 at Mampong in the Ashanti region to Opanyin Kwaku Amankwa and Madam Ama Serwaa Amaniampong of deceased.

He grew up in Asante Mampong where he started his basic education at Mampong Presbyterian Boys’ Boarding School. He also attended Adisadel College in Cape Coast form 1952-1957.

He joined the regular Officers Special Training from 1957-1958.

He attended Military Academy in Sandhurst, England from 1958-1960.

Lieutenant General Akwasi Amankwa Afrifa commanded Riffle Company in 1961. He bacame a General staff officer from 1962-1964.

Lt.Gen Afrifa was a member of the National Liberation Council (NLC), which was a military body that overthrew the Nkrumah government from office on 24th February,1966. The coup was orchestrated by a combination of officers from the Army and the Police. The coup was led by Lt. Gen. Akwasi Amankwa and Colonel Emmanuel Kwasi Kotoka. He was also the member of the eight man ruling the National Liberation Council and Commissioner for Finance, Trade and Economic Affairs.

He became the Chairman of the N.L.C and Head of Government in 1969. He was the chairman of the presidential Commission in 1970.

As a chairman, Let. Gen. Afrifa set up commissions of enquiries to investigate and expose malpractices under the Nkrumah administration. The notorious PDA of 1958 was repealed and many people who were exiled, especially Dr.Kofi Abrefa Busia returned to Ghana.

He also restored the unfavourable external relations Ghana had with other countries

Between 15th January,1972 and December,1972, he was arrested and detained by the National Redemption Council (NRC) regime under General Ignatius Kutu Acheampong.

On 16th June,1979, Lt.Gen Afrifa was picked from his hometown, Mampong and was executed by firing squad along side other top military Officers at Teshie, Accra, after the June 1979 uprising,led by Flight Lieutenant Jerry John Rawlings.

Lt.Gen. Afrifa married to Christiana Afrifa with whom he had nine children.

He died on June 16,1979