1874 : The Gold Coast is officially proclaimed a British crown colony 1877 : Accra becomes the capital of the colony 1896 : Britain has practically taken control over the Asante kingdom 1918 : Nationalist movements begins to rise in the region 1925 : The first legislative elections are carried out in the GOLD Coast 1946 : The colonial powers are weakened after World War 2. USA and USSR pressures for African independence 1947 : United GOLD Coast Convention (UGCC) is one of many new political parties striding for independence 1949 : Kwame Nkrumah leaves and founds the Convention People's Party (CPP) 1951 : CPP wins the first election for the Legislative Assembly 1952 : Nkrumah becomes the first African prime minister and government leader 1957-03-06 : Ghana is the first of the colonies in sub-Saharan Africa to gain independence 1958 : A new law makes it possible to arrest anyone who is suspected of working against the state 1960 : Nkrumah is appointed president of the republic 1962 : Foreign investors and industry are forced by law to re-invest at least 60 per cent of their profit within Ghana 1964 : Nkrumah suspends the democracy by suspending the constitution. Ghana officially becomes a one-party state 1966-02-24 : A military coup ends the rule of Nkrumah and his government 1969-09 : Multi-party elections are held in Ghana and a new civilian government is formed by Dr. Kofi Busia and the Progress Party 1972 : Kwame Nkrumah dies in Conakry, Guinea 1975 : Economy is close to collapse; Acheampong forms the Supreme Military Council (SMC) 1978-07-05 : Acheampong is forced to resign as general William Akuffo takes control of the "Supreme Military Council II" 1979-06-04 : Acheampong is forced to resign as general William Akuffo takes control of the "Supreme Military Council II" 1979-09 : AFRC turns over power to Hilla Limann 1981-12-31 : The Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC) is established 1985 : The Preventive Custody Law allows the government to imprison opponents for the sake of "state security" 1990 : Rawlings forms the National Commission for Democracy to work out plans for the political future of Ghana 1992 : A new democratic constitution is passed. Political prisoners are freed and parties are allowed. Free press and human rights organisations emerge 1998/03 : The level of water is falling in the Akosombo reservoirs resulting in power shortage for Ghana 1999/01 : Members of National Democratic Congress breaks out and creates the Reform Movement as a large opposition party 2007/03 : Ghana celebrates 50 years of independence as the first sub-saharan African nation 2010/12 : Offshore oil production begins 2012/10 : A Chinese boy is killed and some 100 Chinese are detained in an operation against illegal gold mining 2013/06 : Authorities arrest hundreds of Chinese and other migrants working in unlicensed gold mines 2013/08 : President John Mahama is declared WINNER of 2012 elections by Supreme Court after results were questioned by opposition