Kofi Abrefa Busia

The Progress Party secured 105 out of 140 parliamentary seats in 1969, facilitating the elevation of Kofi Abrefa Busia to the position of Prime Minister of Ghana. His administration represented a transition back to civilian governance following a period of military rule, defining his tenure through attempts at economic liberalization and specific policy shifts within the state.

Academic Foundations and Early Career

Born in Wenchi in 1913, Busia pursued extensive academic training. He began his professional path at the Wesley College of Education from 1931 to 1932. His later education included studies at the University of London, University College, Oxford, and Nuffield College, where he earned a Doctor of Philosophy. His academic career led to teaching roles at the University of Ghana and eventually to an appointment at Leiden University, where he served from 1960 to 1962.

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Political Progression and Exile

Busia held numerous legislative roles throughout his career, serving as a member of the first Parliament of the Gold Coast from 1951 to 1954 and the first Parliament of the first Republic of Ghana between 1956 and 1959. Faced with political challenges, he spent time in exile, during which he continued his academic work in sociology before returning to Ghana to serve on the National Liberation Council.

Governance and Final Years

During his term as Prime Minister of the second Republic of Ghana from 1969 to 1972, Busia implemented an economic program that included a 44 percent devaluation of the cedi in 1971. His government was ended by a military coup led by Colonel Ignatius Kutu Acheampong in January 1972 while he was abroad. He subsequently resided in Oxford, where he died in 1978.