6
No. 52
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SUMMARY/
APPRDVED FOR REliASE . -
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AGENCY
OF INTELLIGENCE
SEGUED
Page iv weekly summary une 66
RECONSTRUCTION CONTINUING IN GHANA
moderate military re-Rime, in powwr since the coup which toppled Nkrumah last February, is functioning rensonablyand has retained broadsupport. It la underpressure from former opposition politicians, however, toeturn to civilian rule.
So far General Ankrah and the seven other army and policeof the ruling NationalCouncil (NLC) seen to be cooperating fairly well. Formal probes into official corruptionthe old regime are continuing, but the NLC has shown itself anxious to stem vlndictiveness against former Nkrumah supporters. In the face of strong disapproval from Nkrumah's old political foes, the new leaders hnve begun tofrom detention persons found not to be criminally liable for their past actions. Former foreign ministers Qualson-Sackey and Botsio were both recently freed.
The struggle to rehabilitate Ghana's nearly bankrupt economy has led to new cuts in spending in various areas and an initial group of oonpaying state enterprises is being transferred to private The nee regime has been notably successful inillion slaDtllzation credit from tne International Monetary Fund and in winning at hree-month respite on heavydebt payments. The new budget coming out next month will include further austerity measures.
Despite the NLC'a continuing ban on political parties anda good deal of politicking is going on, especially by former top opposition leader K. A, Busia. His public "lectures" around the country clearly have been designed to build grass-roots support for himself and bring pressure on the NLC to give former oppositiona voice in the new Ankrah,ecent speech, rebuked such activity, but at the same time announced formation of an advisory political committee and promised early establishmentonstitutional review commissionof Busla's recommendations. Busia, who is Included among therominent citizens tapped the the political committee, can beto press his drive for ato civilian rule much sooner than the "two or throe" years still cited by the NLC.
Ghana's new rulers continue to suspect the USSR of helping Nkrumah toomebackfrom his refuge in Guinea. For economic reasons, however, they have extended STJvietof crude oil and reportedly have tentatively sought the return of some of the Soviet fishingexpelled after the coup.and North Vietnam have both closed their Accra embassies and the North Koreans apparently will depart soon. The East German trade mission is alsois Ghana'? from East Bcr)ln--amid hardgeneratedrangle over an East German espionage expert detained by the NLC for almost
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Original document.
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