Savanna Features
Northern Ghana Second Republic: Busia Government MPs & Ministers (1969-1972)
Now, in Part Four, we turn to the Second Republic (1969–1972)—Ghana’s bold experiment with parliamentary democracy under Prime Minister Kofi Abrefa Busia. This era marked a significant expansion of northern political representation.
Today, we take a look at Northern Ghana Second Republic Politicians. Welcome to our Northern Ghana’s Political Architects Series, and initiative of www.thesavannaonline.com. In Part One, we explored the pioneering generation who formed the Northern People’s Party in 1954—Tolon Naa Yakubu Tali, Simon Diedong Dombo, Mumuni Bawumia, and others—who fought for regional representation in the pre-independence Legislative Assembly.
In Part Two, we followed these pioneers into the First Republic (1960–1966), where northerners like Ebenezer Adam, Emmanuel Adama Mahama, and Akantigsi Afoko served as MPs and regional ministers under President Kwame Nkrumah. In Part Three, we examined the National Liberation Council years (1966–1969), when Deputy Commissioner Bawa Andani Yakubu stood as the sole northern voice on the military junta that governed Ghana for three and a half years.
Now, in Part Four, we turn to the Second Republic (1969–1972)—Ghana’s bold experiment with parliamentary democracy under Prime Minister Kofi Abrefa Busia. This era marked a significant expansion of northern political representation. Northerners served as cabinet ministers, deputy ministers, and members of parliament in unprecedented numbers. The foundations laid by the pioneer generation bore fruit as northern voices helped shape national policy during three years of civilian rule, before another military coup brought the experiment to an abrupt end on January 13, 1972. Here are Northern Ghana Second Republic Politicians.
Table of Contents
The Road Back to Civilian Rule and Northern Ghana Second Republic Politicians
The National Liberation Council, under mounting pressure from the citizenry, had committed itself to restoring democratic governance. When the NLC lifted political party activities in May 1969, preparations for parliamentary elections began. A Constituent Assembly drafted a new constitution establishing Ghana as a parliamentary republic, with a ceremonial president and an executive prime minister drawn from the majority party in parliament.
The elections, held on August 29, 1969, were the first competitive nationwide political contest since 1956. Five parties contested the election, but the race quickly narrowed to a contest between two main contenders: the Progress Party (PP), led by the respected scholar and politician Dr. Kofi Abrefa Busia, and the National Alliance of Liberals (NAL), led by Komla Agbeli Gbedemah, a former finance minister under Nkrumah.
The Progress Party drew much of its support from the traditional opponents of Nkrumah’s CPP—the educated middle class, the professional elite, and traditionalists from the Ashanti Region and the North. For northern voters, the Progress Party represented a continuation of the political tradition embodied by the Northern People’s Party, which had merged into the United Party in 1957.
The election results were decisive. The Progress Party secured 877,310 votes (58.33 percent of the total) and won 105 of the 140 parliamentary seats. The National Alliance of Liberals garnered 463,401 votes (30.81 percent) and 29 seats. Smaller parties and independents claimed the remaining six seats. With such a commanding majority, Busia formed a government that drew heavily on the educated elite and the country’s traditional leadership. And then we had Northern Ghana Second Republic Politicians.
Northern Ghana Second Republic Politicians – Representation 1969 Parliament
The 1969 parliamentary election produced a significant northern contingent in the National Assembly. Across the Northern and Upper Regions, voters elected representatives from both the Progress Party and the National Alliance of Liberals, reflecting the North’s political diversity.
Northern Region MPs (14 seats)
The Northern Region’s 14 constituencies returned a mix of Progress Party and NAL representatives : Northern Ghana Second Republic Politicians
| Constituency | Elected MP | Party |
|---|---|---|
| Bunkpurugu | Jatong Silim Sambian | Progress Party |
| Gonja Central | Joseph Bukari Alhassan | Progress Party |
| Gonja East | Joseph Kwesi Mbimadong | National Alliance of Liberals |
| Gonja West | James Adam Mahama | Progress Party |
| Gushiegu | Seth Adam Ziblim | National Alliance of Liberals |
| Mion-Nanton | Yisifu Yinusah | National Alliance of Liberals |
| Nalerigu | Daniel Abdulai Bayensi | Progress Party |
| Nanumba | Zakari Ziblim | Progress Party |
| Chereponi Saboba | Ernest Seth Yaney | Progress Party |
| Savelugu | Abdulai Yakubu | National Alliance of Liberals |
| Tamale | Ibrahim Mahama | National Alliance of Liberals |
| Tolon | Ben Abdulai Yakubu-Tali | Progress Party |
| Walewale | Mohammed Abdul-Saaka | Progress Party |
| Yendi | Shanni Hazrat Mahama | Progress Party |
Upper Region MPs (16 seats)
The Upper Region returned 16 MPs, with the Progress Party winning 13 seats and the National Alliance of Liberals 3 seats :
| Constituency | Elected MP | Party |
|---|---|---|
| Bawku East | Adam Amandi | Progress Party |
| Bawku West | Daniel Ayamdo Ayagiba | National Alliance of Liberals |
| Bolgatanga | James Ben Kaba | Progress Party |
| Bongo | Azabiri Ayamga | Progress Party |
| Chiana-Paga | Catherine Katuni Tedam | Progress Party |
| Tempane-Garu | Idana Asigri | Progress Party |
| Jirapa/Lambussie | Simon Diedong Dombo | Progress Party |
| Lawra-Nandom | Sylvester Emmanuel Sanziri | Progress Party |
| Nadowli | Jatoe Kaleo | Progress Party |
| Navrongo | Joseph Evarisi Seyire | Progress Party |
| Sandema | Lydia Azuele Akanbodiipo | National Alliance of Liberals |
| Talensi-Nabdam | Mosobila Kpamma | Progress Party |
| Tumu | Edwin Kyige Mumuni Dimbie | Progress Party |
| Wa East | James Nagra Momori | Progress Party |
| Wa | Bukari Adama | Progress Party |
| Zebilla | Ayamba Atia | National Alliance of Liberals |
Notable among these MPs was Catherine Katuni Tedam, elected for Chiana-Paga, representing the growing participation of northern women in national politics. Lydia Azuele Akanbodiipo of Sandema, elected on the NAL ticket, was another pioneering female voice from the North.
Simon Diedong Dombo: Minister for Health and Interior
Among the most prominent northerners in the Busia government was Simon Diedong Dombo, the Duori Naa from the Upper Region, whom we first encountered in Part One as a founder of the Northern People’s Party. Born in 1925, Dombo was reputed to be the first educated chieftain in the Upper Region, combining traditional authority with modern education, making him a formidable political force.
Dombo had served as parliamentary leader of the Northern People’s Party during the pre-independence era and had played a crucial role in the merger that created the United Party in 1957. His political experience, combined with his traditional status, made him an invaluable asset to the Busia government.
In the Second Republic, Dombo was appointed Minister for Health, a position he held from 1969 to 1971. In this role, he oversaw the nation’s health infrastructure and policies during a period of economic constraint.
In 1971, Dombo became the Minister for Interior, one of the most sensitive portfolios in government. As Interior Minister, he was responsible for internal security, immigration, and maintaining public order. He succeeded John Willie Kofi Harlley, who had served as Deputy Chairman of the NLC, and held the position until a coup in January 1972.
Parliamentary records from the period show Dombo actively participating in debates and committee work. The official debates of the National Assembly record his contributions on matters ranging from health policy to internal security. He was known as a forceful advocate for his constituents in Jirapa/Lambussie, and his dual role as chief and minister allowed him to bridge the worlds of tradition and modernity.
He remained an influential figure in northern politics until his death on March 19, 1998, at the age of 73. He had more than 30 children and was a Catholic Christian, reflecting the religious diversity of the North.
J. A. Braimah: Northern Regional Minister
Joseph Adam Braimah, known as J. A. Braimah, was another towering figure from the pioneer generation who served in the Busia government. Born on August 31, 1916, in Kpembe in the Savannah Region, Braimah was a man of many parts—politician, author, chief, and founding member of the Northern People’s Party.
Braimah’s political career had begun early. He was the first northerner to be appointed a minister in Ghana, serving in 1951 under the colonial administration. In 1952, the Daily Graphic adjudged him the most popular minister in Dr. Nkrumah’s government during his tenure as Minister for Communications. He had been a parliamentarian in 1951 for the Northern People’s Party. Braimah also led opposition to the Preventive Detention Act in 1958, demonstrating his commitment to democratic principles even under pressure.
In the Busia government, Braimah was appointed Northern Regional Minister, a position he held from 1969 to 1972. As Regional Minister, he was responsible for the administration of the Northern Region, overseeing development projects, maintaining security, and coordinating with the central government in Accra. His deep knowledge of the North and his long experience in politics made him exceptionally well-suited for this role.
Braimah’s legacy extended far beyond his own service. He was the National Vice Chairman of the United Party and a stalwart of what became known as the Danquah-Busia-Dombo tradition. In 2021, Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia launched a biography of Braimah, describing him as “a man with varied talents, common integrity, and an Embodiment of Public Service”. The over 300-page memoir chronicles his life and his political contributions to Ghana’s development.
Braimah died in 1986 at the age of 70, leaving behind 11 wives and 52 children—a testament to the extended family structures common among northern political figures.
Jatoe Kaleo: Minister for Labour and Transport
Jatoe Kaleo, another founding member of the Northern People’s Party whom we mentioned in Part One, served in the Busia government with distinction. A native of Kaleo in the Upper West Region, he had been an advocate for northern interests since the 1950s. He brought decades of political experience to the cabinet.
In the Busia government, Kaleo initially served as Minister for Labour and Social Welfare from 1969 to 1971. In this role, he was responsible for labour policy, workplace safety, and social welfare programs.
In 1971, Kaleo became Minister for Transport and Communications, succeeding Haruna Esseku. This portfolio was crucial for a nation seeking to modernize its infrastructure and improve regional connectivity. For a northerner to hold such a portfolio was significant, as it placed a son of the North at the centre of efforts to develop transportation networks that could benefit the historically underserved northern regions.
Kaleo’s service in two major ministries demonstrated the breadth of his capabilities and the trust that Prime Minister Busia placed in northern leaders. He remained in the cabinet until a coup overthrew the government in January 1972.
Other Northern Ministers and Deputy Ministers
The Busia government included several other northerners in ministerial and deputy ministerial positions :
| Name | Position | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Mohammed Abdul-Saaka | Deputy Minister for Defence | MP for Walewale, served throughout the Second Republic |
| Adam Amandi | Deputy Minister for Health | MP for Bawku East, brought health policy experience |
| Shanni Mahama | Deputy Minister for Agriculture | MP for Yendi, focused on agricultural development |
| Bukari Adama | Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs; later Minister for Defence (1971-1972) | MP for Wa, served in multiple capacities |
Bukari Adama had a particularly distinguished career in the Busia government. He first served as Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs, managing the government’s legislative agenda and relations with parliament. In January 1971, he was appointed Minister for Defence, succeeding J. Kwesi Lamptey. As Defence Minister, Adama oversaw the Ghana Armed Forces during a period of relative stability. However, the military would ultimately overthrow his government just one year later.
The presence of northerners in these senior positions reflected the integration of northern political elites into the highest levels of national governance.
The Economic Challenges of the Busia Government
The Busia government inherited a stabilized economy from the NLC, but it remained fragile. Foreign exchange reserves were limited, debt obligations weighed heavily, and the balance of trade was precarious. The government pursued market-oriented or neo-liberal policies, focusing on the private sector and seeking to tackle inflation.
In 1971, the Busia government prepared an austerity budget that included several unpopular measures :
Introduction of a development levy
Introduction of import taxes
Trade liberalization
Withdrawal of subsidies
Abolishing free transport and free education
Devaluation of the Ghanaian currency (cedi) by 44 percent
These austerity measures attracted significant public uproar. A large portion of the population was unhappy with the government’s neo-liberal stance, which fell heavily on ordinary Ghanaians already struggling with economic hardship. Workers, students, and professionals expressed their dissatisfaction through protests and criticism.
For northern MPs and ministers, these policies presented a dilemma. They had advocated for development in their regions. Still, the austerity measures reduced the resources available for infrastructure and social programs. The development levy and cuts to subsidies fell heavily on rural populations, including their constituents in the North. Yet as members of the government, they were expected to defend and implement these policies.
The entire government would ultimately bear the political cost of these measures. On January 13, 1972, Colonel Ignatius Kutu Acheampong led a coup that overthrew the Busia government, bringing the Second Republic to an abrupt end.
The 1972 Coup and Its Aftermath
The January 13, 1972, coup caught the Busia government by surprise. While Prime Minister Busia was abroad seeking medical treatment, Acheampong and his fellow officers seized power, promising to reverse the unpopular austerity measures and restore economic prosperity.
The National Redemption Council (NRC), as the new junta called itself, quickly moved to implement policies that contrasted sharply with those of the ousted government :
Benefits to public sector workers were fully restored.
The cedi was revalued by 42 percent.
Many of the country’s foreign debts were cancelled (the NRC refused to pay)
The development levy was abolished.
Efforts were made to achieve food sufficiency through “Operation Feed Yourself.”
These measures gained immediate domestic popularity, but they would later worsen the nation’s economic position. The NRC regime became characterized by what historians describe as “corruptive practices; incompetence; economic mismanagement; siphoning of the nation’s limited resources, and diversion of a substantial part of foreign exchange earnings from the sale of cocoa”.
For northern politicians who had served in the Busia government, the coup brought an end to their ministerial careers. Some, like Simon Diedong Dombo, were banned from holding elected office for a period of time. Others retreated from public life, returning to their farms and communities. A few would re-emerge in later governments, as Ghana’s political journey continued through more military interludes and brief democratic experiments.
The disqualification of former Progress Party officials from standing for office under the Acheampong regime created space for new figures to emerge. Still, it also disrupted the careers of experienced northern politicians who had spent years building expertise and connections.
The Legacy of the Second Republic for Northern Ghana
The Second Republic, despite its brevity, represented a significant chapter in northern Ghana’s political history. For the first time since the merger of the Northern People’s Party into the United Party, northerners had achieved substantial representation in a democratically elected government. They held cabinet positions, served as regional ministers, and occupied seats in parliament in numbers that reflected the North’s importance to the national coalition.
The presence of northerners in the Busia government established important precedents :
Simon Diedong Dombo demonstrated that a northern chief could serve effectively as a cabinet minister in two major portfolios
J. A. Braimah showed that northerners could administer their own region with competence and integrity
Jatoe Kaleo proved that northern leaders could handle complex economic portfolios like Labour and Transport
Bukari Adama became the first northerner to serve as Minister for Defence, a position of immense national significance
These achievements built upon the foundations laid by the pioneer generation and expanded the scope of northern political participation. The northern MPs of the Second Republic were not merely voices advocating for regional interests; they were full participants in shaping national policy across every sector of government.
The Second Republic also demonstrated the vulnerability of Ghana’s democratic institutions. The country’s economic challenges were severe, and the austerity measures adopted by the Busia government, however necessary, proved politically unsustainable. The military’s willingness to intervene and seize power, first in 1966 and again in 1972, established a pattern that would continue through 1978, 1979, and 1981.
For northern politicians, these patterns meant that careers could be interrupted at any moment, and that service to the nation required not only competence but also resilience in the face of political upheaval. The generation that served in the Second Republic would see some of its members return to public life in later regimes. In contrast, others would retire to their communities, content with the service they had rendered.
Foundations for the Future
The Second Republic, though brief, represented a crucial stage in the evolution of northern political representation. The pioneers of Part One had organized the North and fought for its place in the independence negotiations. The First Republic MPs of Part Two had demonstrated that northerners could serve in a one-party state and hold their own in national institutions. The solitary voice of Bawa Andani Yakubu in Part Three had kept northern representation alive during military rule.
Now, in Part Four, northerners had achieved full integration into a democratically elected government. They served in the cabinet, in parliament, and in regional administration. They held portfolios that touched every aspect of national life—health, interior, defence, labour, transport, and agriculture. They were no longer advocates for the North; they were architects of national policy.
The names of these men—Simon Diedong Dombo, J. A. Braimah, Jatoe Kaleo, Bukari Adama, Mohammed Abdul-Saaka, Adam Amandi, Shanni Mahama, and the many northern MPs listed in the parliamentary records deserve to be remembered. They built upon the foundations laid by their predecessors and created new possibilities for those who would follow.
As we move forward in this series to the military interludes that followed—the NRC and SMC years, the AFRC interlude, the Third Republic under Dr. Hilla Limann—we will see northern political engagement continue, adapt, and endure. The story of northern Ghana’s political architects is far from over.
Key Figures of the Second Republic Era
Simon Diedong Dombo (1925-1998) stands as the most prominent northern figure in the Busia government. A founding member of the Northern People’s Party and the Duori Naa, he served as Minister for Health (1969-1971) and Minister for Interior (1971-1972). His career demonstrated that northern chiefs could serve effectively in high national office.
J. A. Braimah (1916-1986) was a founding member of the Northern People’s Party and the first northerner appointed as a minister in Ghana (1951). In the Second Republic, he served as Northern Regional Minister (1969-1972), administering his home region with distinction. His biography was launched by Vice President Bawumia in 2021.
Jatoe Kaleo was another founding member of the Northern People’s Party who served in the Busia government as Minister for Labour and Social Welfare (1969-1971) and later Minister for Transport and Communications (1971-1972). His service in two major portfolios reflected the trust placed in northern leaders.
Bukari Adama served as Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs and later as Minister for Defence (1971-1972), becoming the first northerner to hold that portfolio. He was also the MP for Wa.
Mohammed Abdul-Saaka, MP for Walewale, served as Deputy Minister for Defence throughout the Second Republic, bringing northern perspectives to national security policy.
Adam Amandi, MP for Bawku East, served as Deputy Minister of Health, contributing to the development of health policy.
Shanni Mahama, MP for Yendi, served as Deputy Minister for Agriculture, focusing on rural development and food security.
The northern MPs listed in the parliamentary records—29 representatives from the Northern and Upper Regions—formed the legislative backbone of northern representation, bringing their constituents’ concerns to the national assembly.
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