The Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC) was the name of the Ghanaian government after the People's National Party's elected government was overthrown by Jerry Rawlings, the former head of the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council. This was on 31 December 1981. It remained in power until 7 January 1993. In a statement explaining the coup d'état, Rawlings explained that a "holy war" was necessary from the PNP's failure to provide effective leadership and by the collapse of the national economy and state services. The PNDC was a military dictatorship that induced civilians to participate in governance. Most of its members were civilians. Its policies reflected a revolutionary government that was pragmatic in its approach. The economic objectives of the PNDC were to halt the economic deca