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Ghana marks 47th anniversary of the June 4 Revolution
via GhanaWeb4 min read
Today marks the 47th anniversary of Ghana's June 4 Revolution, a significant and divisive event in the nation's political history. The uprising began as a military mutiny on May 15, 1979, when Flight Lieutenant Jerry John Rawlings and other junior officers attempted a coup against the Supreme Military Council II SMC II. This initial attempt failed, leading to the arrest of Rawlings and his co-conspirators. Rawlings cited grievances such as unpaid salaries for junior officers, widespread corruption, poor governance, economic hardship, and indiscipline within the military as reasons for the mutiny. During his trial at Burma Hall, Rawlings took sole responsibility for the actions, gaining public support. On June 4, 1979, junior officers led by Captain Boakye Djan orchestrated a jailbreak, freeing Rawlings and seizing the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation, which led to the overthrow of the SMC II. The takeover resulted in immediate violence, including the death of Major-General Odartey Willington, who had previously foiled the May 15 attempt. The mutineers established the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council AFRC, with Flt. Lt. Jerry John Rawlings as Chairman. The AFRC launched a "House Cleaning Exercise" to combat corruption, which included the execution of three former military heads of state and five senior military officers. The AFRC's reign lasted from June to September 1979, after which power was transferred to the democratically elected Dr. Hilla Limann. However, Rawlings overt
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This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by GhanaWeb.
Must ReadThe United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement ICE has released details concerning 355 West African immigrants, including 30 Ghanaians, who are either facing deportation or have already been deported. This list, which includes photos, names, and associated crimes, was published by the Department of Homeland Security DHS to highlight individuals being deported for what it describes as the "worst of the worst" criminal activities. The DHS stated that its personnel are fulfilling President Trump's promise of mass deportations, beginning with these individuals. Among those listed is Ghanaian socialite and musician Mona Montrage, also known as Haji4Real, who has already been deported to Ghana for fraud after being arrested in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, also known as NAPO, a former NPP vice-presidential candidate, has clarified remarks he made about Ghana’s first President, Kwame Nkrumah. He insists he never intended to diminish Nkrumah's legacy and that his words were twisted. NAPO explained that his comments were made during an NPP political event to distinguish between the political values associated with Nkrumah and those of the United Party tradition, from which the NPP originates. He stated that he never said anything negative about Nkrumah, even in Twi, and compared the situation to football rivalries, where supporting one team does not imply disrespect for another. He maintained that the controversy arose from the interpretation of his remarks after they became public.
Must ReadThe Ministry of Health has summoned the Chief Executive Officer of Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital KATH to appear before the Minister for Health by noon on Thursday, June 4, 2026. This follows a social media statement and comments from KATH's Head of Public Affairs indicating that the hospital's Accident and Emergency Centre was unable to admit new cases. The Ministry views this decision as contrary to the President of Ghana's directive that no hospital should turn away emergency cases. The CEO is expected to explain why disciplinary action should not be taken against him.
Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, a former Minister of Energy, stated that he was reported to influential traditional leaders, including the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, regarding comments he made about Kwame Nkrumah. According to Prempeh, the Asantehene contacted him the day after his speech, informing him of the report. Prempeh offered to provide the original recording of his speech to the Asantehene for direct assessment, rather than relying on second-hand accounts. He alleged that the individual who reported him later struggled to substantiate the claims. Prempeh also claimed that similar complaints were made to other respected figures, creating a false impression of his remarks and shifting the controversy from his original speech to differing interpretations of what was said.