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Former President Nana Akufo-Addo’s statue at the Effia-Nkwanta Regional Hospital Roundabout in Sekondi, Western Region, has been vandalised again by unknown persons, this time beyond recognition. The incident reported occurred in the early hours of Monday January 13, 2025.
The statue was first damaged on Monday, 16 December, when a hole was left in the left calf, and its plaque was removed. The Ghana Police Service launched an investigation, and the monument was repaired three days later.
However, the statue has now been completely smashed, leaving only the base intact. A video circulating on social media shows the monument reduced to rubble.
This incident has sparked mixed reactions from the public. While some support the vandalism, others have strongly condemned it as unwarranted. The police have yet to release an official statement regarding the latest act of vandalism.
The statue, unveiled during former President Akufo-Addo’s “Thank You Tour” on 6 November 2024, was situated at the uncompleted Effia-Nkwanta roundabout. During the unveiling, the President highlighted his administration’s achievements, claiming to have fulfilled 80% of his campaign promises. He also urged Ghanaians to support Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) 2024 presidential candidate, citing the Free Senior High School (SHS) programme as his legacy.
The statue, however, became a point of nationwide controversy, with critics accusing the President of self-aggrandisement. The then opposition candidate John Dramani Mahama described the monument as “shocking” and criticised it as being out of touch with the struggles of ordinary Ghanaians.
Former Western Regional Minister Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah defended the statue, stating that it commemorated Akufo-Addo’s contributions to the region, such as the rehabilitation of the Effia-Nkwanta Regional Hospital, the Sinohydro interchange, and the Takoradi Market Circle redevelopment.