Vithanage Erandi Kawshalya Madhushani Jade Times Staff
V.E.K. Madhushani is a Jadetimes news reporter covering Africa.
Ghanaians Divided as President Akufo Addo Inaugurates His Own Monument
Backlash in Ghana as Outgoing President Unveils Self Commissioned Statue
Ghana’s outgoing President Nana Akufo Addo has sparked controversy after unveiling a statue of himself in the country’s Western Region. The monument, positioned outside Sekondi's Effia Nkwanta Regional Hospital, is meant to commemorate the president’s development initiatives during his tenure, according to Kwabena Okyere Darko Mensah, the Western Region’s minister.
The unveiling has stirred mixed reactions, with many Ghanaians criticizing the act as “self glorification” and questioning its timing. “The people of the Western Region deserve better than these self serving displays,” opposition MP Emmanuel Armah Kofi Buah commented on social media. Other critics noted that while Akufo Addo claims to have achieved 80% of his promises, several significant projects remain incomplete, making the statue feel premature to some.
During his tour, dubbed a "thank you tour," Akufo Addo emphasized his administration’s achievements, particularly his policy to provide free secondary education a move he highlighted as his “most significant legacy.” However, public sentiment remains divided. While some have called for the statue’s removal once the president leaves office in January, others expressed appreciation, with one supporter stating, “He is very deserving of this exquisite monument. The greatest president I’ve ever had.”
This farewell tour comes amid broader campaigning by the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP). Akufo Addo has been urging Ghanaians in the Western Region to vote for Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia in the upcoming general election, touting him as a candidate who would continue the NPP’s policies and initiatives. Bawumia’s primary opponent is former President John Dramani Mahama of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), with economic challenges, including high living costs, taking center stage as key campaign issues.
As Akufo Addo’s presidency nears its end, his self commissioned statue has ignited a debate over legacy, national priorities, and the fine line between recognition and self-promotion.
