He was chosen as the presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party for a third time for the2016 general elections, and this time he defeated incumbentJohn Dramani Mahama in the first round (winning with 53.85% of the votes), which marked the first time in a Ghanaian presidential election that an opposition candidate won a majority outright in the first round.[8] It was also the first time that an opposition candidate had unseated an incumbent president. He again secured an outright majority in the first round of the2020 general elections (winning with 51.59% of the vote), defeating Mahama for a second time.[9][10][11]
Akufo-Addo's government initially drew broad popularity from the Ghanaian public, promoting a nationalistic 'Ghana beyond aid' agenda.[12] The latter part of his tenure, however, was marked by the worst Ghanaian financial crises in a generation, with inflation reaching up to 40% in both 2022 and 2023.[13][14][15] His government attributed this to theCOVID-19 pandemic andRussian invasion of Ukraine, but many observers pointed to mismanagement of public funds.[16][17][18] As he wasterm-limited, he peacefully handed over power to the NDC's Mahama on 7 January 2025 after the incumbent NPP lost power amid the unpopularity of his administration.
He started his primary education at the Government Boys School and Rowe Road School (now Kinbu), both in Accra Central.[22] He went toEngland and continued his education atHolmewood House Preparatory School before studying for his O-Level and A-Level examinations atLancing College,Sussex, where he was nicknamed "Billy" and joined the Anglican faith.[1] He began thePhilosophy, Politics and Economics course atNew College, Oxford, in 1962, but left soon afterwards.[23] He returned to Ghana in 1962 to teach at theAccra Academy, before going to read economics at theUniversity of Ghana,Legon, in 1964, earning a BSc (Econ) degree in 1967.[24] He subsequently joined theMiddle Temple and trained as a lawyer under the apprenticeship system known as theInns of Court, where no formal law degree was required.[25] He was called to the English Bar (Middle Temple) in July 1971. He was called to the Ghanaian bar in July 1975.[26] Akufo-Addo worked with theParis office of the U.S. law firmCoudert Brothers. In 1979, he co-founded the law firm Akufo-Addo, Prempeh and Co.[citation needed]
Though known by his friends to have been a vocal supporter of theConvention People's Party (CPP) while a student in theUniversity of Ghana, he switched sides to the rivalUnited Party (UP) tradition following the overthrow of PresidentKwame Nkrumah in 1966 after which his father, Edward Akufo-Addo became ceremonial president of Ghana in 1969. Akufo-Addo's participation in politics formally began in the late 1970s when he joined the People's Movement for Freedom and Justice (PMFJ),[27] an organization formed to oppose the GeneralAcheampong-led Supreme Military Council's Union Government proposals.[28] In May 1995, he was among a broad group of elites who formed Alliance for Change, an alliance that organized demonstrations against Neo-liberal policies such as the introduction ofValue Added Tax and human rights violations of theRawlings presidency. At the forefront of this demonstration were himself,Abdul Malik,Kwaku Baako and Saifullah Senior ministerVictor Newman,Kwasi Pratt Jnr, Dr.Charles Wereko Brobbey among others. They were joined by about 100,000 other people. The protest was named "Kume Preko".[29][30] As an elite, Akufo-Addo vied for leadership positions; the broad-based opposition alliance eventually fell apart.[26] In the 1990s, he formed a civil rights organization called Ghana's Committee on Human and People's Rights.[27]
He was a member of the 2nd, 3rd and 4th parliament of the 4th republic representing theAbuakwa constituency.
In the 1996 elections, he polled 28,526 votes out of the 50,263 valid votes cast representing 56.75% overOwuraku Amofah who polled 20,173 votes, Adoo-Aikins who polled 705 votes, Ahmadu Rufai who polled 682 votes and Emmanuel Kofi Tamakloe who polled 177 votes.[31] He won again in the 2000 General Elections with 28,633 votes out of the 45,795 valid votes cast representing 62.50% over Christiana Annor who polled 14,486 votes, Addo-Aikins who polled 1,088 votes, Theresa Stella Amakye who polled 593 votes, Kofi Opoku-Gyamera who polled 519 votes and Isaac Duodu Awah who also polled 506 votes.[32][33]
In October 1998, Akufo-Addo competed for the a presidential run of theNPP[26] and lost toJohn Kufuor, who subsequently won the December 2000 presidential election and assumed office as President of Ghana in January 2001. Akufo-Addo was the chief campaigner for Kufuor in the 2000 election. He became the first attorney general and Minister for justice of the Kufuor era, and later moved to theMinistry of Foreign Affairs andNew Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD).[34][35]
In 2007, he was the popular candidate tipped to win theNew Patriotic Party's presidential primaries.[36] In 2008, Akufo-Addo represented the NPP in a closelycontested election againstJohn Atta Mills of NDC.[37] In the first round of voting, Akufo-Addo tallied 49.13%, leading Atta Mills with a slim margin that was below the constitutional threshold of 50% to become the outright winner.[38]
Akufo-Addo ran again as theNPP's presidential candidate in the2012 national elections againstNDC'sJohn Mahama, successor to the late Atta Mills. Mahama was declared the winner of the election, an outcome that was legally challenged by Akufo-Addo.[39][40][41] The court case generated considerable controversy, and was finally decided by the Ghana Supreme Court in a narrow 5/4 decision in favour of Mahama. Akufo-Addo accepted the verdict in the interest of economic stability and international goodwill.[20][42][43]
In March 2014, Akufo-Addo announced his decision to seek his party's nomination for the third time ahead of the2016 election. In the NPP primary conducted in October 2014, he was declared victor with 94.35% of the votes.[44][45] Akufo-Addo also served as chair of the Commonwealth Observer Mission for the South African elections in 2014.[46][47][48]
He focused his campaign on the economy, promising to stabilize the country's foreign exchange rate and to reduce unemployment levels.[49] On 9 December 2016, sitting president Mahama conceded defeat to Akufo-Addo.[50][51][52] Akufo-Addo won the election with 53.83% of the votes against Mahama's 44.4%.[53][54]
Akufo-Addo announced his intention to run for re-election by picking a nomination form as flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party ahead of the 2020 general elections.[55] On 9 December 2020, Akufo-Addo was declared the winner of the 7 December election after securing a majority of 51.59% of the vote, just enough to win re-election in a single round.[9][56][57] In December 2021, Akufo-Addo pledged to respect the two-term limit mandated in theGhanaian constitution and not run for a third term in 2024.[58]
Akufo-Addo faced backlash, especially on social media, for plagiarizing parts of his inauguration speech, having lifted passages, word-for-word, from previous inaugural addresses given by American presidentsJohn F. Kennedy,Bill Clinton andGeorge W. Bush as well as prepared remarks given byNigerian PresidentMuhammadu Buhari at a 2015United States Institute of Peace event.[62][63][64][65][66][67] After the scandal came to light, his press office issued an apology, with his communication director describing the situation as a "complete oversight and never deliberate."[68][69][70] However, after themea culpa, it was found that Akufo-Addo had also plagiarized portions of his 2013 concession speech after theSupreme Court of Ghana upheld the 2012 electoral victory of PresidentJohn Mahama. In that speech, lines were lifted verbatim from United States Vice-presidentAl Gore's 2000 presidential concession speech given after theUS Supreme Court verdict.[71][72][73]
In September 2017, Akufo-Addo launched theFree Senior High School (SHS) policy, which will makesecondary high school free for students inGhana. The president states it is a "necessary investment in the nation's future workforce" and will help parents who are unable to pay for their children's education due to financial hardships. The program met with positive reaction from the nation, parents and students were excited and fervent, but private schools opposed to the program state it will decrease the number of students enrolling in their system.[74][75]
In August 2023, Akufo-Addo cited the 2022 WASSCE success as proof of his education policies' effectiveness.[76] During a speech at Queen Girls Senior High School in the Western North region, the President credited last year's WASSCE results, the best in eight years, to the success of the Free Senior High School program and related initiatives.[77] Akufo-Addo celebrated notable improvements in the 2022 WASSCE results, with higher scores in English, Integrated Science, Mathematics, and Social Studies. He also commended the 2021 student cohort for adapting to the double track system.[76]
In 2018, the president introduced the 7-year Co-ordinated Programme of Economic and Social Development Policies which is expected to create jobs for the country. According to the president, the policies are founded on "five pillars of growth and development, namely revitalizing the economy; transformagriculture and industry; revamping economic and social infrastructure; strengthening social protection and inclusion; and reforming delivery system of public services institutions.[78] Despite theIMF already warning the country that it was at high risk of debt-distress, the government of Akufo-Addo kept on borrowing, pushing up the nation's public debt from 56% of GDP to 63% before the pandemic. After the pandemic, Ghana borrowed even more in comparison with its neighbours, precipitating a budget-deficit crisis, the second highest inSub Saharan Africa at 16% as of 2020, far above the regional average of 6%.[79]
Akufo-Addo has taken a relatively moderate line onLGBT rights in Ghana. In November 2017, he suggested that the legalisation ofhomosexuality is inevitable and said he can foresee a change in the law.[80] Akufo-Addo, who spent much of his early life inEngland, said that LGBT rights will evolve in Ghana as they have in theUnited Kingdom. However, he affirmed that LGBT rights were not part of the government agenda at the moment.[81] In August 2018, he reiterated that theGovernment of Ghana would not legalisesame-sex marriage ordecriminalise homosexuality under his leadership.[82][83]
This section needs to beupdated. The reason given is: The University of Ghana stadium was completed for the African Games, held in 2024 rather than 2023.. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information.(November 2024)
In 2019, the number of regions in Ghana increased from ten to sixteen under the president's administration. The new regions areOti,Western North,North East,Ahafo (splitting from Brong),Savannah andBono East Regions. The creation of the regions ends decades of petitions to the government calling for the development of new regions.[85]
In 2020, he signed theUNAIDS Public Letter on People's Vaccine which was a campaign calling for accessibility of theCOVID-19 vaccine to all. He joined other world leaders in the signing. He wrote "all people everywhere must have access to the vaccine when one becomes available." Concerns were raised that people in richer countries may have quicker access to the vaccine than poor countries which led to the writing of an open letter that any vaccine against the disease should be free and made available at no cost to all people.[3] In February 2021, Ghana became the first African country to receive COVID-19 vaccines through theWorld Health Organization's COVAX program. The shipment consisted of 600,000 doses of theAstraZeneca vaccines.[86]
Akufo-Addo has four biological daughters and one stepdaughter: Gyankroma, Edwina, Adriana, Yeboakua and Valerie.[95][96]Virginia Hesse is the mother of one his daughters.[97] She was appointed by Akufo-Addo as Ghana's Ambassador toCzech Republic in his first-term of government.[98] His first marriage to Remi bore him two of his daughters and his second marriage to Eleanor bore him a daughter.[99] His marriage to Rebecca provided him a step-daughter had by Rebecca in a previous relationship.[100] Akufo-Addo has a sister called Madam Marigold with the title, Abrewatia Nana Abena Oye.[101]
In May 2016, Akufo-Addo was bestowed Honorary Doctor of Law Degree from Fort HareUniversity of South Africa, recognizing his legal and political leadership.[105]
In 2017, he received the National Achievement Award by theAfrica-America Institute's on behalf of the people of Ghana. The award was given to recognise Ghana as a country which represents freedom, democracy and stability in Africa.[106]
Almost a year into his Presidency in December 2017, Akufo-Adddo received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree from theUniversity of Liberia.[107]
Akufo-Addo was given an award for Exemplary Leadership in June 2018, by theWhitaker Group.[108][109]In August 2018 he received the African Port Award by The African Port Award (APA) Foundation for his projects on modernizing Ghana's ports.[110] In September 2018, the U.S. Africa Business Centre of theUnited States Chamber of Commerce presented Akufo-Addo with the 2018 Outstanding Leader's Award in recognition of regional, diplomatic, and economic leadership in Africa.[111][112][113] In October 2018, he received the 2018 Governance Leadership Award "in recognition of his commitment towards enhancing the living standards of the Ghanaians and governing the country in accordance with the rule of law".[114]
In May 2019, the United Nations Secretary-GeneralAntónio Guterres named Akufo-Addo among the newly appointed SDG advocates as co-chair alongside the prime minister ofNorway,Erna Solberg.[115] The role of these advocates is to raise awareness, inspire greater ambition, and push for faster action on theSustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
In June 2019, theAssociation of National Olympic Committees of Africa (ANOCA) announced it will honour Akufo-Addo with the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa (ANOCA) Merit Award for Heads of State due to his tremendous contribution to sports development and projects in Ghana and for the successful bid for Ghana to host the 2023 African Games.[116]
Nana Akufo-Addo was honoured at the fourth Ghana Hotels Association Awards, held on 20 January 2020, for demonstrating visionary leadership by declaring the year of return and ensuring its successful execution.[55]
In May 2021, at a Congregation held in his honour, the University of Cape Coast conferred honorary Doctor of Philosophy in Educational Leadership degree on Akufo-Addo. The honorary degree, which is the highest honour given by the University, recognised his contribution to education in the country.[117]
On 10 October 2022, theUniversity of Sorbonne in Paris, France presented an honorary doctorate degree to Akufo-Addo.[118][119]Sorbonne recognized his commitment to democracy in Ghana, peace in West Africa, and his leadership in implementing the Free SHS policy and combating COVID-19.
On 8 August 2023, Akufo-Addo was presented with a Medal of Merit in Leadership Award by the African Bar Association.[120][121]
In July 2024, Akufo-Addo received two honorary Doctorate degrees from two Universities in Ghana. On 14 July, Valley View University conferred honorary Doctorate on Akufo-Addo for his contribution to education and socio-economic development in Ghana and the sub-region as well as his unwavering desire to build an educated populace in the country.[122] A fortnight later, the University of Health and Allied Sciences also honored Akufo-Addo with a Doctorate degree for his commitment to infrastructure development of the University and for the advancement of Science Education in the country.[123]
On 6 November 2024, a statue was unveiled in his honour at the Effia-Nkwanta Regional Hospital in the Western Region, for the initiatives he has embarked on in the region during his term of office as indicated by the Western Regional Minister, Kwabena Okyere Darko.[124][125]
^Owusu-Ansah, David (2014).Historical Dictionaries of Africa : Historical Dictionary of Ghana (4). Rowman & Littlefield Publishers.
^Ayelazuno, Jasper (2011). "7".Neo-liberalism and Resistance in Ghana: Understanding the Political Agency of the Subalterns in Social-historical Context (Thesis). York University.
_(cropped).jpg)
_-_ribbon_bar.png)
