Backlash In Ghana As President Akufo-Addo Unveils Statue Of Himself Amid Mixed Reactions

Ghana’s outgoing President Nana Akufo-Addo is under public scrutiny after unveiling a statue of himself in the Western Region, sparking a wave of criticism and debate on social media.

The statue, intended to honor the president’s contributions to national development, stands prominently outside the Effia-Nkwanta Regional Hospital in Sekondi.

Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah, the Western Region’s minister, stated the monument celebrates the infrastructure and development projects championed by Akufo-Addo during his time in office.

However, opposition voices, including MP Emmanuel Armah Kofi-Buah, have condemned the statue as “self-glorification,” with many citizens echoing that sentiment online.

The president, who will step down in January after two terms, revealed the statue during his “thank-you tour” and highlighted achievements such as the free secondary education policy, which he called his “most significant legacy.”

Photos of the statue have gone viral, with some Ghanaians demanding its removal post-Akufo-Addo’s tenure, arguing it is an unnecessary display when numerous projects remain unfinished.

Despite the criticism, some Ghanaians support the statue as a fitting tribute to the president’s impact.
The president’s tour coincides with the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) campaign efforts for the upcoming election, where Akufo-Addo has endorsed Vice-President Mahamudu Bawumia as his successor.

Bawumia will face former President John Dramani Mahama, who is running under the National Democratic Congress (NDC), with key issues like high living costs driving voter concerns in the lead-up to the election.

Abia State Governor, Alex Otti has said that members of the opposition are gathering in Abuja and other places with the intention of deceiving Abia people with fake news about his administration.

According to him, the members of the opposition have perfected a strategy to churn out fake and sometimes, real documents for propaganda purposes.

Otti stated this at Government House, Umuahia, on Monday while swearing in the Chairman and Deputy Chairmen of the 17 local government areas, together with elected councilors.

Otti, who did not mention the names of the opposition members, however, said that his administration was not afraid of such gatherings, as according to him, previous meetings held by such un-named persons failed and will fail again.

“Let me leave a word for the so-called opposition who are gathering in Abuja and elsewhere with the sole intention to deceive people and distract this government.

“They have perfected a strategy to churn out fake and sometimes real documents for false narratives and propaganda.

“Just like the Bible assures, because these gatherings are not of God, they will scatter. Do not take Abia people for granted.

“You have done this before and failed. What makes you think you will succeed this time given all the transformation that has happened in this state in less than 18 months? A word is enough for the wise,” Otti warned

In these difficult times, the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, expressed his gratitude to the European political community for supporting Ukraine in its fight against Russia.

He stressed that Ukraine needs not only diplomatic support, but also sufficient weaponry to defend itself against Russian aggression.

“We are defending ourselves not against Russian words, but against Russian attacks. That’s why we need sufficient weapons, not support in negotiations. Embracing Putin won’t help,” said Mr. Zelensky.

The president pointed out that some world leaders have been trying to negotiate with the Russian dictator for many years, but that this has only made the situation worse.