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Nana Akufo-Addo

Akufo-Addo in 2020

13th President of Ghana

In office
7 January 2017 – 7 January 2025

Vice President

Mahamudu Bawumia

Preceded by

John Mahama

Succeeded by

John Mahama

Ministerial offices

Minister of Foreign Affairs
In office 1 April 2003 – 1 July 2007
President	John Kufuor
Preceded by	Hackman Owusu-Agyeman
Succeeded by	Akwasi Osei-Adjei
Attorney General of Ghana
In office 7 January 2001 – 1 April 2003
President	John Kufuor
Preceded by	Obed Asamoah
Succeeded by	Papa Owusu-Ankomah

Parliamentary offices

Member of Parliament for Akim Abuakwa South
In office 7 January 2005 – 6 January 2009
Preceded by	Constituency established
Succeeded by	Samuel Atta Akyea
Member of Parliament for Abuakwa
In office 7 January 1997 – 6 January 2005
Preceded by	Constituency established
Succeeded by	Constituency abolished

35th Chair of Economic Community of West African States

In office
2 June 2020 – 3 July 2022

Preceded by

Mahamadou Issoufou

Succeeded by

Umaro Sissoco Embaló

Personal details

Born

William Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo

29 March 1944 (age 81)
Accra, Gold Coast (now Ghana)

Political party

New Patriotic

Spouses

Remi Fani-Kayode

(divorced)

Eleanor Nkansah-Gyamenah

(deceased)

Rebecca Griffiths-Randolph

(m. 1997)

Children

Parents

Edward Akufo-Addo
Adeline Akufo-Addo

Education

University of Ghana (BSc)

William Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo (born 29 March 1944) is a Ghanaian politician. He served as the 13th president of Ghana from January 2017 to January 2025. Before becoming president, he was Ghana's Attorney General from 2001 to 2003. He also served as Minister for Foreign Affairs from 2003 to 2007. Both roles were under President John Kufuor.

Akufo-Addo ran for president twice before winning. He was the candidate for the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in 2008 and 2012. He lost both times to candidates from the National Democratic Congress. In 2008, he lost to John Evans Atta Mills. In 2012, he lost to John Dramani Mahama. After the 2012 election, he challenged the results in court. However, the Supreme Court of Ghana confirmed Mahama's win.

He ran for president a third time in the 2016 elections. This time, he won against the sitting president, John Dramani Mahama. He won with 53.85% of the votes in the first round. This was the first time an opposition candidate won a majority in the first round in Ghana. It was also the first time an opposition candidate removed a sitting president. He won again in the 2020 elections with 51.59% of the vote. He defeated Mahama for a second time.

Akufo-Addo's government was popular at first. They promoted a "Ghana beyond aid" idea, meaning Ghana would rely less on foreign help. However, the later part of his time as president saw Ghana's worst financial crisis in a generation. Inflation reached up to 40% in 2022 and 2023. His government blamed the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russian invasion of Ukraine. But many people thought it was due to poor management of public money. Since he could not run for a third term, he peacefully handed over power to John Mahama on 7 January 2025. This happened after his party lost power.

Early Life and Education
Political Journey
- Running for President
President of Ghana (2017–2025)
Personal Life
Awards and Recognition
- Awards
- Foreign Honours
See also

Early Life and Education

Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo was born in Accra, Ghana, in 1944. His parents were Adeline Akufo-Addo and Edward Akufo-Addo. They were part of the well-known Ofori-Atta family. His father, Edward Akufo-Addo, was Ghana's third Chief Justice. He was also the non-executive president of Ghana from 1970 to 1972. Akufo-Addo's grandfather was Nana Sir Ofori Atta, a King of Akyem Abuakwa. He was an important leader before Ghana became independent.

Akufo-Addo started primary school in Accra. He then went to England for his O-Level and A-Level exams. He studied at Lancing College, where he was called "Billy." In 1962, he started studying at New College, Oxford, but left soon after. He returned to Ghana in 1962 to teach at the Accra Academy. Later, he studied economics at the University of Ghana and earned a degree in 1967.

He then trained as a lawyer in England. He became a lawyer in England in 1971 and in Ghana in 1975. Akufo-Addo worked for a law firm in Paris. In 1979, he helped start his own law firm, Akufo-Addo, Prempeh and Co.

Political Journey

Akufo-Addo became involved in politics in the late 1970s. He joined a group called the People's Movement for Freedom and Justice (PMFJ). This group was against the government's plans for a Union Government. In 1995, he helped form the Alliance for Change. This group organized protests against new taxes and human rights issues during the presidency of Jerry Rawlings. About 100,000 people joined these protests, known as "Kume Preko."

He was a Member of Parliament for the Abuakwa constituency. He served in the Ghanaian Parliament from 1997 to 2009. He won elections in 1996 and 2000 by a large number of votes.

Running for President

In 1998, Akufo-Addo tried to become the presidential candidate for the NPP. He lost to John Kufuor, who then won the 2000 presidential election. Akufo-Addo was a key person in Kufuor's campaign. After Kufuor became president, Akufo-Addo served as the first Attorney General and Minister for Justice. Later, he became the Minister for Foreign Affairs.

In 2007, he was a strong candidate for the NPP's presidential primaries. In 2008, Akufo-Addo represented the NPP in a very close election against John Atta Mills of the NDC. He won the first round with 49.13% of the votes. However, this was not enough to win outright, as the constitution requires over 50%.

Akufo-Addo ran again as the NPP's candidate in the 2012 elections. He ran against John Mahama of the NDC. Mahama was declared the winner. Akufo-Addo challenged this result in court. The Supreme Court of Ghana decided in favor of Mahama by a close vote. Akufo-Addo accepted the decision for the sake of Ghana's stability.

In March 2014, Akufo-Addo announced he would seek his party's nomination for the third time. In October 2014, he won the NPP primary with 94.35% of the votes. He also led a group observing the South African elections in 2014.

His campaign focused on the economy. He promised to make the country's money more stable and reduce unemployment. On 9 December 2016, the sitting president, Mahama, accepted defeat. Akufo-Addo won the election with 53.83% of the votes.

He ran for re-election in the 2020 general elections. On 9 December 2020, Akufo-Addo was declared the winner. He secured 51.59% of the vote, enough to win in one round. In December 2021, Akufo-Addo promised to follow the Ghanaian constitution's two-term limit. He did not run for a third term in 2024.

President of Ghana (2017–2025)

Taking Office

Akufo-Addo became president on 7 January 2017. His inauguration ceremony was held at Black Star Square in Accra. Many presidents from African and European countries attended.

There was some criticism because parts of his inauguration speech were similar to speeches by other leaders. His press office apologized, calling it an "oversight."

Education Focus

In September 2017, Akufo-Addo started the Free Senior High School (SHS) policy. This policy made secondary high school free for students in Ghana. The president said it was an important investment for Ghana's future. It also helped parents who could not afford school fees. Many people, parents, and students welcomed the program.

In August 2023, Akufo-Addo said the success in the 2022 WASSCE exams showed his education policies were working. He noted better scores in English, Science, Mathematics, and Social Studies.

Economy and Development

In 2018, the president introduced a 7-year plan for economic and social development. This plan aimed to create jobs. It focused on five main areas: improving the economy, changing agriculture and industry, fixing infrastructure, helping vulnerable people, and improving public services.

Ghana's public debt increased during his time in office. The government borrowed more money, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic.

Sports Development

In February 2019, Akufo-Addo's government announced plans to renovate sports buildings across Ghana. This was because Ghana was hosting the African Games in 2024. These buildings included stadiums in Accra and Cape Coast. The University of Ghana Sports Stadium, which had been unfinished for years, also saw renovations.

Other Important Actions

In 2019, the number of regions in Ghana increased from ten to sixteen. This change came after many years of requests for new regions to help with development.

In 2020, he signed the UNAIDS Public Letter on People's Vaccine. This campaign called for everyone to have access to the COVID-19 vaccine. He joined other world leaders in saying that any vaccine should be free and available to all. In February 2021, Ghana was the first African country to receive COVID-19 vaccines through the World Health Organization's COVAX program.

In May 2020, he appointed two new judges to the Supreme Court of Ghana.

Personal Life

First Lady Melania Trump's Visit to Africa (43267916670) (cropped)

Akufo-Addo's third and current wife, Rebecca Akufo-Addo

Akufo-Addo comes from Akropong-Akuapem and Kyebi in the Eastern Region. He is married to Rebecca Akufo-Addo (née Griffiths-Randolph). Rebecca is the daughter of a judge who was the Speaker of the Parliament of Ghana. Akufo-Addo was married twice before marrying Rebecca.

He has four biological daughters and one stepdaughter: Gyankroma, Edwina, Adriana, Yeboakua, and Valerie.

Awards and Recognition

Akufo-Addo has received many awards for his leadership and contributions.

Awards

In 2016, he received the Mother Teresa Memorial International Award for Social Justice. This was for putting national peace before his own political goals.
In May 2016, he received an Honorary Doctor of Law Degree from Fort Hare University of South Africa. This recognized his leadership in law and politics.
In 2017, the Africa-America Institute gave him the National Achievement Award. This award recognized Ghana as a country that stands for freedom and democracy in Africa.
In December 2017, the University of Liberia gave him an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree.
In June 2018, he received an award for Exemplary Leadership from the Whitaker Group.
In August 2018, he received the African Port Award for his work on modernizing Ghana's ports.
In September 2018, the U.S. Africa Business Centre gave him the 2018 Outstanding Leader's Award. This was for his leadership in Africa's diplomacy and economy.
In October 2018, he received the 2018 Governance Leadership Award. This was for his efforts to improve the lives of Ghanaians and govern by law.
In May 2019, the United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres named Akufo-Addo as a co-chair for the SDG advocates. Their role is to raise awareness and push for faster action on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
In June 2019, the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa (ANOCA) honored Akufo-Addo. This was for his great contributions to sports development in Ghana.
In January 2020, he was honored at the Ghana Hotels Association Awards. This was for his vision in declaring the "Year of Return" and making it successful.
In May 2021, the University of Cape Coast gave him an honorary Doctor of Philosophy in Educational Leadership degree. This recognized his contributions to education in Ghana.
On 10 October 2022, the University of Sorbonne in Paris, France, gave him an honorary doctorate degree. Sorbonne recognized his commitment to democracy in Ghana and peace in West Africa.
On 8 August 2023, the African Bar Association gave Akufo-Addo a Medal of Merit in Leadership Award.
In July 2024, he received two honorary Doctorate degrees from two Ghanaian universities. Valley View University honored him for his contributions to education and development. The University of Health and Allied Sciences honored him for his commitment to the university's development and science education.
On 6 November 2024, a statue was unveiled in his honor at a hospital in the Western Region. This was for his initiatives in that region.