A decision by outgoing Ghana’s President, Nana Akufo-Addo, to unveil what has been described as a “self-honouring” statue outside a regional hospital in Sekondi, has been generating serious criticism from a horde of Ghanaians on social media.
President Akufo-Addo got into troubled waters when he unveiled a statue of himself at the entrance of Effia-Nkwanta Regional Hospital in Sekondi as part of his one-day “thank you” tour of the Western Region on Wednesday.
While justifying the action, Western Regional Minister, Kwabena Okyere Darko Mensah, explained that the statue honors the president’s initiatives in the region, including the rehabilitation of Effia-Nkwanta Regional Hospital, the construction of a 3-tier Sinohydro interchange, and the redevelopment of the Takoradi Market Circle.
Mensah added that the statue was meant to commemorate Akufo-Addo’s development projects during his two terms in office.
However, many Ghanaians do not reason in like manner as they see it as an act of self-promotion rather than public service.
Opposition Member of Parliament, Emmanuel Armah Kofi-Buah who condemned the statue in a post on X, said “the people of the Western Region deserve better than these self-serving displays.”
Others also echoed similar sentiments, questioning the statue’s relevance at a time when several of the president’s initiatives remain incomplete.
An X user said it would have been admirable if the president had left such recognitions to posterity.
But despite the controversy, some Ghanaians have defended the monument, praising Akufo-Addo’s contributions particularly his flagship policy of free secondary education, which he has highlighted as his most significant legacy.
One of such supporters hailed him as the architect of Ghana’s free education system.
“He is deserving of this monument – the greatest president I’ve ever had,” he wrote.