Joseph Arthur Ankrah (18 August 1915 – 25 November 1992) was a Ghanaian army general who was the second head of state of Ghana from 1966 to 1969 as chairman of the National Liberation Council.

[3] On the outbreak of World War II, Ankrah was mobilized into the Royal West African Frontier Force.

[1] The citation read: With great common sense, maturity and tact, this officer handled a delicate situation which otherwise would have created grave consequences in Leopoldville and many parts of the Congo.

Colonel Ankrah, with complete disregard for his own life, disarmed an Armée Nationale Congolaise (ANC) soldier who, with a loaded sten machine carbine, attempted to shoot Mr. Lumumba.

[1]After his experience in the Congo, he was promoted Brigadier then Major General[2] becoming the first Ghanaian commander of the Ghana army in 1961 and then Deputy Chief of Defence Staff.

[5][6][7] He was forced to resign as Chairman of the NLC and Head of State over a bribery scandal involving a Nigerian businessman.

[2][8] Ankrah served as the first ever President of the Council of Patrons of Accra Hearts of Oak S.C. and steered the football club for a long period.