Declassified U.S. Documents Reveal CIA’s Role in 1966 Coup
Accra, Ghana – President John Dramani Mahama has revealed that the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) of the United States was directly involved in the 1966 coup that overthrew Ghana’s first President, Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah.
Speaking at the 68th Independence Day celebration at the Jubilee House on March 6, 2025, President Mahama cited declassified U.S. intelligence documents as evidence that the CIA orchestrated Nkrumah’s removal while he was on a diplomatic trip to China.
“The verdict of history is now loud and clear. Declassified documents from the United States archives reveal that this was a coup inspired and engineered by the CIA,” President Mahama stated.
Nkrumah’s Vision Cut Short
According to President Mahama, Nkrumah’s removal derailed Ghana’s industrialization agenda, pushing the country into a cycle of instability.
“Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, the founder of our nation, envisioned an industrialized, self-reliant Ghana whose citizens have the highest standard of economic life and the greatest sense of self-esteem, rooted in patriotism and Pan-African unity,” Mahama said.
However, he noted that the coup on February 24, 1966, shattered that dream.
“A joint military and police coup d’état shattered that dream, plunging Ghana into decades of instability and military takeovers.”
Long-Standing Allegations Confirmed
For decades, historians and political analysts have debated foreign involvement in Nkrumah’s overthrow. The latest revelations from declassified U.S. intelligence files appear to confirm long-standing suspicions that the coup was part of Cold War geopolitics, with the U.S. seeking to counter Nkrumah’s socialist policies and Pan-Africanist influence.
Nkrumah, who was Ghana’s first Prime Minister and later President, led the country to independence from British rule in 1957 and championed the African unity movement. His government was overthrown by the National Liberation Council (NLC) in 1966 while he was en route to peace talks on the Vietnam War.
Mahama’s statement has reignited calls for more extensive research into Ghana’s political history, with some urging the government to declassify local documents related to the coup.
Source: GhanaWeb