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Former United Kingdom (UK) High Commissioner to Ghana, Jon Benjamin, has criticised former President Nana Akufo-Addo for erecting a statue of himself during his tenure. He argued that no individual should consider building a monument in their honour while alive, particularly during their time in office.
His remarks followed the vandalism of the former President’s statue located at the Effia-Nkwanta Regional Hospital Roundabout in Sekondi, Western Region, in the early hours of Monday, 13th January 2025.
The statue was initially damaged on Monday, 16th December 2024, with a hole left in the left calf and its plaque removed. The Ghana Police Service launched an investigation, and the monument was repaired three days later. However, it has now been completely destroyed, leaving only the base intact. A video circulating on social media shows the statue reduced to rubble.
Reacting to the vandalism in a post on X on the same day, Mr Benjamin stated: “Nobody should ever put up a statue of themselves while still alive, let alone while still in office.”
The statue, unveiled during former President Akufo-Addo’s “Thank You Tour” on 6th November 2024, was located at the unfinished Effia-Nkwanta roundabout. At the unveiling, the former President highlighted his administration’s achievements, claiming to have fulfilled 80% of his campaign promises.
The monument sparked national controversy, with critics accusing the former President of self-exaltation.
Defending the statue, former Western Regional Minister Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah stated it commemorated Akufo-Addo’s contributions to the region, including the rehabilitation of the Effia-Nkwanta Regional Hospital, the Sinohydro interchange, and the Takoradi Market Circle redevelopment.