Ghana’s President Nana Akufo-Addo has sparked an online backlash after unveiling a statue of himself in Sekondi, Western Region. The bronze statue, installed in front of the Effia-Nkwanta Regional Hospital, was revealed during the president’s ongoing “thank-you tour” as he prepares to step down in January after two terms.
Regional minister Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah justified the monument as a tribute to Akufo-Addo’s development projects during his presidency. However, critics, including opposition MP Emmanuel Armah Kofi-Buah, view it as an act of “self-glorification” amid unfinished infrastructure projects. “The people of the Western Region deserve better than these self-serving displays,” Kofi-Buah posted on social media platform X.
While many have called for the statue’s removal, others argue it honors a president who significantly shaped Ghana, particularly highlighting his policy of free secondary education. Supporters described the statue as a rightful acknowledgment of his contributions.
During the tour, Akufo-Addo, 80, championed his free education initiative as his key legacy and encouraged votes for Vice-President Mahamudu Bawumia, the ruling New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) candidate for the upcoming election. Bawumia will face former President John Dramani Mahama of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), with economic challenges, including high living costs, dominating the campaign agenda.
