Following the election of the colonial Gold Coast's first legislative assembly to include African leaders on July 17, 1956, a vote for independence from the British Commonwealth was passed at a tally of 72 representatives with 32 abstaining. The opposition did not attend the debate and the measure was passed unanimously by all of the members in attendance. The British authority accepted the vote without contest and independence was set for March 6, 1957.
Sir Charles Arden-Clarke was the last governor of the colonial Gold Coast, ceding his governorship after Ghana gained independence on March 6, 1957.
The name Ghana was proposed by Dr. JB Danquah. The name means "warrior king" in the Mande language and was bestowed upon the sitting ruler of the ancient Ghana Empire in present-day Mauritania and Mali.