title: Minister for Defence (Ghana)
text: # Minister for Defence (Ghana)
  
  The Minister for Defence is the Ghanaian government official responsible for the Ministry of Defence of Ghana and the Ghana Armed Forces. The Minister for Defence since February 2017 is the Hon. Dominic Nitiwul. He was appointed by President Nana Akufo-Addo.
  
  ## List of ministers
  
  The ministry has had a succession of ministers since independence starting with the Governor - General. During the rule of the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council, there was no specific minister as the council as a body was responsible for Defence.
  
  | Number | Minister | Took office | Left office | Government | Party |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | 1 | Charles Noble Arden-Clarke | 1957 | 1958 | Nkrumah government | Governor-General |
  | 2 | Rev Stephen Allen Dzirasa (MP) | 1958 | 1959 | Nkrumah government | Convention People's Party |
  | 3 | Kwame Nkrumah (MP) | 1959 | 1960 | Nkrumah government | Convention People's Party |
  | 4 | Charles de Graft Dickson (MP) | 1960 | 1961 | Nkrumah government | Convention People's Party |
  | 5 | Kofi Baako (MP) | Sep 1961 | 24 Feb 1966 | Nkrumah government | Convention People's Party |
  | 6 | Lt. General J. A. Ankrah | 1966 | 1968 | National Liberation Council | Military government |
  | 7 | Lt. General Akwasi Afrifa | 1968 | 1969 | National Liberation Council | Military government |
  | 8 | J. Kwesi Lamptey (MP) | 1969 | 1971 | Busia government | Progress Party |
  | 9 | Bukari K. Adama (MP) | 27 Jan 1971 | 12 Jan 1972 | Busia government | Progress Party |
  | 10 | General I. K. Acheampong | Jan 1972 | 9 Oct 1975 | National Redemption Council | Military government |
  | 10 | General I. K. Acheampong | 9 Oct 1975 | 5 Jul 1978 | Supreme Military Council | Military government |
  | 11 | Lt. General Fred Akuffo | 5 Jul 1978 | 4 Jun 1979 | Supreme Military Council | Military government |
  | 12 | | 1979 | 1979 | Armed Forces Revolutionary Council | Military government |
  | 13 | S. K. Riley-Poku | 1979 | 31 Dec 1981 | Limann government | People's National Party |
  | 14 | Naa Polku Konkuu Chiiri | 1982 | Nov 1983 | Provisional National Defence Council | Military government |
  | 15 | Rear Admiral C. K. Dzang | 22 Nov 1983 | 1985 | Provisional National Defence Council | Military government |
  | 16 | Mahama Iddrisu | 1985 | 6 Jan 1993 | Provisional National Defence Council | Military government |
  | 16 | Mahama Iddrisu | 7 Jan 1993 | Feb 1999 | Rawlings government | National Democratic Congress |
  | 17 | Lt. Col. E. K. T. Donkoh | Feb 1999 | 6 Jan 2001 | Rawlings government | National Democratic Congress |
  | 18 | Kwame Addo-Kufuor (MP) | 7 Jan 2001 | 6 Aug 2007 | Kufuor government | New Patriotic Party |
  | 19 | Albert Kan-Dapaah (MP) | 6 Aug 2007 | 6 Jan 2009 | Kufuor government | New Patriotic Party |
  | 20 | Lt. Gen. Joseph Henry Smith | 6 Jan 2009 | 18 Feb 2013 | Mills government | National Democratic Congress |
  | 20 | Lt. Gen. Joseph Henry Smith | 24 Jul 2012 | 18 Feb 2013 | Mahama government | National Democratic Congress |
  | 21 | Mark Owen Woyongo (MP) | 14 Feb 2013 | 16 July 2014 | Mahama government | National Democratic Congress |
  | 22 | Benjamin Kumbuor (MP) | 16 Jul 2014 | Feb 2017 | Mahama government | National Democratic Congress |
  | 21 | Dominic Nitiwul (MP) | Feb 2017 | Incumbent | Akufo-Addo government | New Patriotic Party |
  