Nana Akufo-Addo facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Quick facts for kids

Nana Akufo-Addo

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 Party

Spouse

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 2017 to 2025. Before becoming president, he was the 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 first tried to become president in 2008 and again in 2012. He ran as the candidate for the New Patriotic Party (NPP). 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 was chosen as the NPP's presidential candidate for a third time in 2016. 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 right away in Ghana. It was also the first time an opposition candidate removed a sitting president from power. He won again in the 2020 election with 51.59% of the vote, defeating Mahama a second time.

Akufo-Addo's government was popular at first. He promoted a plan called 'Ghana beyond aid'. This meant Ghana would rely less on help from other countries. Later in his time as president, Ghana faced some economic challenges. His government said this was due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russian invasion of Ukraine. He peacefully handed over power to Mahama on 7 January 2025. This happened because he could not run for president again due to term limits.

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

Early Life and Education

Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo was born in Swalaba, Accra, Ghana, in 1944. His parents were Adeline Akufo-Addo and Edward Akufo-Addo. His family was well-known, part of the 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 member of the government before Ghana became independent.

He started school at Government Boys School in Accra. He then went to England for more education. He studied at Holmewood House Preparatory School and Lancing College. He was nicknamed "Billy" there. He began studying at New College, Oxford, in 1962 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 to become a lawyer. He was called to the English Bar in 1971 and the Ghanaian bar 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.

Starting His 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 at the time. In 1995, he helped form the Alliance for Change. This group organized protests against new taxes and human rights issues. About 100,000 people joined one of these protests, called "Kume Preko".

He also started a civil rights group called Ghana's Committee on Human and People's Rights. He served as a Member of Parliament for the Abuakwa area for several years.

In the 1996 elections, he won with 56.75% of the votes. He won again in the 2000 General Elections with 62.50% of the votes.

Running for President

In 1998, Akufo-Addo tried to become the presidential candidate for the NPP. He lost to John Kufuor, who then became president in 2001. Akufo-Addo was a key person in Kufuor's campaign. He later became the first Attorney General and Minister for Justice under Kufuor. He also served as the Minister for Foreign Affairs.

In 2008, Akufo-Addo ran for president for the NPP. It was a very close election against John Atta Mills of the NDC. Akufo-Addo got 49.13% of the votes, which was not enough to win outright.

He ran again as the NPP's candidate in the 2012 elections. This time, he was against NDC's John Mahama. Mahama was declared the winner. Akufo-Addo challenged this result in the Supreme Court of Ghana. The court eventually decided in favor of Mahama. Akufo-Addo accepted the decision for the good of the country.

In 2014, Akufo-Addo announced he would try for president a third time. He won his party's primary election with 94.35% of the votes. He also helped observe the elections in South Africa in 2014.

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

He ran for re-election in 2020. 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 two-term limit. This means he would not run for a third term in 2024.

Becoming President of Ghana (2017–2025)

Akufo-Addo officially 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.

After his speech, it was noticed that some parts were similar to speeches given by other leaders. His team apologized, saying it was an "oversight."

Helping Education in Ghana

In September 2017, Akufo-Addo started the Free Senior High School (SHS) policy. This policy made high school free for students in Ghana. The president said this was an important step to prepare Ghana's future workers. It also helps parents who could not afford school fees. Many people in Ghana, including parents and students, liked this program.

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

Ghana's Economy

In 2018, the president introduced a 7-year plan for economic and social development. This plan aimed to create jobs for Ghanaians. The plan focused on improving the economy, helping farming and industry, and strengthening public services.

Ghana's public debt increased during his time in office. This was partly due to borrowing more money. The government faced economic challenges, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic.

Sports and Development

In February 2019, Akufo-Addo's government announced plans to fix sports buildings in Ghana. This was because Ghana was going to host the African Games in 2023. Stadiums in Accra and Cape Coast Sports Stadium were included. The University of Ghana Sports Stadium, which had been left unfinished, also got attention.

Other Important Actions

In 2019, the number of regions in Ghana grew from ten to sixteen. This happened under the president's leadership. New regions like Oti and Savannah were created. This change came after many years of requests for new regions to help with development.

In 2020, he signed a letter calling for the COVID-19 vaccine to be available to everyone. He believed that all people should have access to the vaccine when it became ready. In February 2021, Ghana was the first African country to receive COVID-19 vaccines through the COVAX program.

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

His Family 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 (born Griffiths-Randolph). Her father was Jacob Hackenburg Griffiths-Randolph, who was the Speaker of the Parliament of Ghana.

Akufo-Addo has five daughters: Gyankroma, Edwina, Adriana, Yeboakua, and Valerie.

Awards and Recognition

Akufo-Addo has received many awards for his work.

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 was given an Honorary Doctor of Law Degree from Fort Hare University of South Africa. This recognized his leadership in law and politics.
In 2017, he received the National Achievement Award from the Africa-America Institute. This award recognized Ghana as a country that stands for freedom, democracy, and stability in Africa.
In December 2017, he received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree from the University of Liberia.
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 diplomacy and economy in Africa.
In October 2018, he received the 2018 Governance Leadership Award. This was for his efforts to improve the lives of Ghanaians and govern by the rule of law.
In May 2019, the United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres named Akufo-Addo as a co-chair for the SDG advocates. This role helps 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 him. He received the ANOCA Merit Award for Heads of State. This was for his great help in sports development in Ghana.
In January 2020, he was honored at the Ghana Hotels Association Awards. This was for his leadership in making the "Year of Return" a success.
In May 2021, the University of Cape Coast gave him an honorary Doctor of Philosophy in Educational Leadership degree. This recognized his contribution to education in Ghana.
On 10 October 2022, the University of Sorbonne in Paris, France, gave him an honorary doctorate degree. They recognized his commitment to democracy in Ghana, peace in West Africa, and his work on the Free SHS policy.
On 8 August 2023, the African Bar Association gave him a Medal of Merit in Leadership Award.
In July 2024, he received two more honorary Doctorate degrees from Ghanaian universities. Valley View University and the University of Health and Allied Sciences honored him for his contributions to education and development.
On 6 November 2024, a statue was unveiled in his honor at a hospital in the Western Region. This was to recognize his work in that region.