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Ghanaians Slam Statue Unveiling for Outgoing President Akufo-Addo
A statue in honour of Ghana’s outgoing President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has been unveiled in the Western Region of Ghana, Daily Guide Network reported on Thursday.
The statue was said to recognise his administration’s contributions to the region’s development.
Located outside the Effia-Nkwanta Regional Hospital in Sekondi, the statue was unveiled during the President’s recent “Thank You” tour of the Western Region on Wednesday.
The Regional Minister, Kwabena Darko-Mensah, who led the unveiling ceremony, praised the president for several major projects initiated under his administration, including the start of a petroleum hub project in Western Nzema.
GhanaWeb also reported that other initiatives mentioned by the minister included the rehabilitation of the Effia-Nkwanta Regional Hospital, the construction of a three-tier Sino Hydro interchange, and the redevelopment of the Takoradi Market Circle.
The president reportedly claimed to have achieved 80 per cent of the promises he made to the people of Ghana.
He was quoted as saying, “While I do not claim to have fully satisfied all promises, a significant portion — roughly 80% — of our manifesto pledges have been fulfilled, with notable achievements in education, healthcare, infrastructure development, industrial reform, agriculture, and cocoa production.”
However, the report stated that many of these projects were yet to be completed.
The unveiling of the statue has sparked reactions among Ghanaians on X.com, with many questioning its necessity.
Some Ghanaians have raised concerns over the prioritisation of a statue over the completion of crucial infrastructure projects in the region.
Ghanaian politician Emmanuel Armah Kofi-Buah criticised the act in a post on X.com on Thursday.
He wrote, “This extravagant display of self-aggrandisement comes at a time when the region has been largely neglected, with pressing needs and concerns left unaddressed. This grandiose gesture is a misplaced priority. The people of the Western Region deserve better than these self-serving displays.”
#Otaferegya1 also commented, “This was needless. The money injected into the construction of this nonsense could have been used to purchase more beds, pulse oximeters, or even to discharge needy patients who can’t foot their bills.”
Czla Baah, tweeting as #Czla101, wrote, “Failed leaders always try to give themselves recognition because they know nobody will when they leave the scene.”
Agbeshie Vitasi, tweeting as #togbui13, also wrote, “We aren’t seeing anything yet. It is left with the award. He will award himself before January 7th. Just wait.”
#senyonino wrote, “Where are those infrastructures? Show us. Always talking about this or that, but we can’t see.”
“The hospital is incomplete, the flyover is incomplete, so what infrastructure is he talking about?” #stikayden asked.
#Alfredjkt also commented, “We have a problem as a country. Even failures want to force it down our throats that they have been super successful in their endeavours. Posterity will be your judge.”
#sefadzi20 wrote, “It will not last. Give it a short time; it will be pulled down.”
#nii_brownie similarly wrote, “Someone should demolish this needless statue.”
“Instead of building infrastructure, he’s unveiling statues. I pity Akufo-Addo because they’ll blame him for their loss,” #iam_twumasi commented.
#iambig_sj, however, defended the statue, tweeting, “I don’t see anything wrong with it.”
The unveiling of the statue comes just a few months before Akufo-Addo will step down from office after two terms as president.
He reportedly stated in August that he would “willingly step down as president on January 7, 2025.”
He was said to have noted that his last major task as president is to ensure that the pending general election on December 7 is free, fair, and peaceful.
