Immediately following independence three orders were introduced in Ghana: Order of the Star of Ghana, Order of the Volta, and Ghana Service Order. These were instituted in 1960 as a replacement for the British honours system that was conferred under the Gold Coast and the Dominion of Ghana. The first National Honours and Awards ceremony under the new system was administered by Ghana's first president Kwame Nkrumah.[1] President Nkrumah planned to introduce two more orders in 1962: the Order of the Black Star and the Most Exalted Order of African Redemption[2] but these efforts appear to have never come to fruition. After the military coup d'état of 1966, the Government of Ghana reverted back to three State Honors and sought to remove all vestiges of the Nkrumah administration.[3]
President John Kufuor added a controversial Grand Order of the Star and Eagles of Ghana in June 2008 thereby increasing the number of State Honors to four[4].
State Honors
The ribbon is 35 mm wide with three equal stripes of red, yellow, and green.[5]
- Companion (CSG) - Honorary Division, Civil Division
- Officer (OSG) - Honorary Division, Civil Division, Military Division
- Member (MSG) - Civil Division, Military Division, Police Division, Honorary Division
Ribbon: navy blue with red borders and a central black stripe.
- Companion (CV) - Civil Division, Military Division, Honorary Division
- Officer (OV) - Civil Division, Military Division, Honorary Division
- Member (MV) - Civil Division, Military Division, Police Division, Honorary Division
Ribbon: central navy blue, with towards the border, a thin red stripe and a broad yellow stripe border.
- Medal for Gallantry (MG)
- Honorary Division
- Civil Division
- Military Division
- Police Division
- Honorary Division
- Civil Division
- Military Division
- Police Division
- Prisons Division
Other Orders
There are Orders within Ghana also awarded by traditional, constitutionally recognized, subnational Kingdoms.[citation needed]
Kingdom of Godenu
- Royal Order of the Crown of Godenu
- Royal Order of the Elephant of Godenu
- Royal Order of the Lion of Godenu
Kingdom of Gbi Hohoe-Ahado
Kingdom of Ashanti Akyem Hwidiem
- Royal Order of the Golden Leopard [7]
Kingdom of New Sawereso-Seinuah
- Royal Order of the Cross
- Royal Order of Agyemang III
- Royal Order of the Majestic Sun
- Royal Order of the Tiger and Hawk[8]
Kingdom of Abura Papagya
- Royal Order of Kwakyen Ababio[9]
Service Awards
| Grand Medal for Gallantry |
| Republic Day Medal (type II) |
| Revolution Day Medal - 24 February 1966 |
| Gallantry Cross |
| Police Cross |
| Prison Cross |
| Distinguished Service Order (Military, Police, Prisons) |
| June 4 Revolution Day Medal |
| United Nations Peacekeeping Medal - Congo |
| United Nations Peacekeeping Medal - Middle East |
| 31 December Revolution Medal |
| ECOMOG Medal |
| Military Cross |
| Distinguished Service Cross |
| Flying Cross |
| Good Conduct Medal |
| Military Medal |
| Mention in Dispatches |
| Long Service and Efficiency Medal |
| Long Service and Good Conduct Medal |
| Efficiency Medal |
See also
References
- ↑ Today, Ghana (2023-03-16). "National Honours and Awards - GhanaToday". Retrieved 2024-04-13.[permanent dead link]
- ↑ Ghana Gazette no. 55, Honours Warrant. Accra, Ghana: Government of Ghana (published 1962). 18 September 1962. p. 801.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link) - ↑ Ghana Gazette no 16. Accra Ghana: Government of Ghana (published 1968). 23 February 1968. p. 131.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link) - ↑ Executive Instrument 43, National Honours Instrument 2008. Accra Ghana: Presidency of Ghana (published 30 June 2008). 2008.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link) - ↑ Ghana Gazette no. 1. Accra, Ghana: Government of Ghana. 1 July 1960. pp. 5 to 8.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link) - ↑ "Honours". Stooldom of New Sawereso-Seinuah. 1 May 2023. Retrieved 15 May 2023.
- ↑ "The Royal Order of the Golden Leopard". royalgoldenleopard.org. Archived from the original on 30 December 2022.
- ↑ "History". Royal House of New Sawereso-Seinnuah. Retrieved 18 March 2026.
- ↑ "Royal Order of Kwakyen Ababio – Kingdom of Papagya".
- ↑ jdasare4214 (13 July 2024). "Command and Staff Instructions and Procedures Volume 3 DGPA". [Scribd]. Retrieved 15 May 2026.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ Jomo, Abdullah (21 June 2023). "ORDERS DECORATIONS AND MEDALS OF THE REPUBLIC OF GHANA: STATE HONOURS!". Facebook Post. Retrieved 15 May 2026.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
- "Ghana Honours Her Heroes, Heroines". Ghanaweb. 1 July 2006. Archived from the original on 28 July 2017. Retrieved 23 July 2017.
- "Of National Honours and Seemingly Neglect of Creative Artistes". micyamoah.wordpress. 16 November 2016. Retrieved 23 July 2017.
- Gentleman's Military Interest Club, Rest of the World: Medals & Militaria - Ghana