Written by Lisa Murimi
A statue of Ghana’s former President Nana Akufo-Addo, erected in November 2024, has been destroyed, with images circulating on Monday showing the head severed and the torso reduced to rubble.
The statue, situated outside Effia-Nkwanta Regional Hospital in Sekondi, was unveiled by Akufo-Addo himself to honor his development initiatives.
The unveiling sparked backlash on social media, with critics deriding it as “self-glorification.”
The statue had already been partially vandalized last month, with one leg damaged. Calls for its removal had gone unanswered, with local authorities promising repairs.
Mixed reactions followed the statue’s destruction. While some residents expressed satisfaction, arguing it served no benefit during Ghana’s ongoing economic hardships, others condemned the act, citing the need for a “proper, civil way” to address grievances.
Critics had questioned the statue’s funding amid Ghana’s worst economic crisis in decades.
The country secured a $3 billion IMF bailout in 2024, and rising living costs were a major issue in December’s election.
President John Mahama, who defeated Akufo-Addo’s party in a landslide, had previously criticized the statue as insensitive, stating that public honors should come from the people, not self-congratulatory initiatives.
Authorities have yet to comment on the motive or perpetrators of the vandalism.
