Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo ( ;
born 29 March 1944) is a
Ghana
Ghana (; tw, Gaana, ee, Gana), officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country in West Africa. It abuts the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean to the south, sharing borders with Ivory Coast in the west, Burkina Faso in the north, and To ...
ian politician who has served as the
president of Ghana
The president of the Republic of Ghana is the elected head of state and head of government of Ghana, as well as commander-in-chief of the Ghana Armed Forces. The current president of Ghana is Nana Akufo-Addo, who won the 2020 presidential el ...
since 7 January 2017.
In 2020, he was re-elected for his second term, which will end on 6 January 2025. Akufo-Addo previously served as
Attorney General from 2001 to 2003 and as
Minister for Foreign Affairs
A foreign affairs minister or minister of foreign affairs (less commonly minister for foreign affairs) is generally a cabinet minister in charge of a state's foreign policy and relations. The formal title of the top official varies between cou ...
from 2003 to 2007 under the
Kufuor-led administration. He was elected as the
Economic Community of West African States
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS; also known as in French and Portuguese) is a regional political and economic union of fifteen countries located in West Africa. Collectively, these countries comprise an area of , and in ...
(ECOWAS)
chairman on 7 September 2020. He was re-elected for a second term as the
Economic Community of West African States
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS; also known as in French and Portuguese) is a regional political and economic union of fifteen countries located in West Africa. Collectively, these countries comprise an area of , and in ...
(
ECOWAS
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS; also known as in French and Portuguese) is a regional political and economic union of fifteen countries located in West Africa. Collectively, these countries comprise an area of , and in ...
)
Chairman on 2 February 2021. He ended his term on 3 July 2022.
Akufo-Addo first ran for president in
2008
File:2008 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Lehman Brothers went bankrupt following the Subprime mortgage crisis; Cyclone Nargis killed more than 138,000 in Myanmar; A scene from the opening ceremony of the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing; ...
and again in
2012
File:2012 Events Collage V3.png, From left, clockwise: The passenger cruise ship Costa Concordia lies capsized after the Costa Concordia disaster; Damage to Casino Pier in Seaside Heights, New Jersey as a result of Hurricane Sandy; People gat ...
, both times as the candidate of the
New Patriotic Party
, logo =
, colorcode = #132f7a
, founder =
, founded = 28 July 1992
, dissolved =
, leader = Nana Akufo-Addo
, chairman = Stephen Ayensu Ntim
Stephen Ntim elected NPP National Chairman on fifth attempt http://www.gna.org.gh/1.2152672 ...
(NPP). He lost on both occasions to
National Democratic Congress' candidates:
John Evans Atta Mills
John Evans Fiifi Atta Mills (21 July 1944 – 24 July 2012) was a Ghanaian politician and legal scholar who served as President of Ghana from 2009 until his death in 2012. He was inaugurated on 7 January 2009, having defeated the governing party ...
in 2008 and
John Dramani Mahama
John Dramani Mahama (; born 29 November 1958) is a Ghanaian politician who served as President of Ghana from 24 July 2012 to 7 January 2017. He previously served as Vice President of Ghana from January 2009 to July 2012, and took office as pres ...
in 2012. After the 2012 general elections, he refused to concede and proceeded to court to challenge the electoral results, but the
Supreme Court of Ghana affirmed Mahama's victory.
He was chosen as the presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party for a third time for the
2016 general elections, and this time, he defeated incumbent 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. 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 the
2020 general elections (winning with 51.59% of the vote), defeating Mahama a second time, and was sworn in at exactly 1:03 pm GMT on 7 January 2021.
In December 2021, Nana Akufo-Addo pledged to respect the two-term limit mandated in the
Ghanaian constitution and not run for a third term in 2024.
Early life and education
Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo was born in Swalaba
Acerra
Acerra () is a town and ''comune'' of Campania, southern Italy, in the Metropolitan City of Naples, about northeast of the capital in Naples. It is part of the Agro Acerrano plain.
History
Acerra is one of the most ancient cities of the regio ...
,
Ghana
Ghana (; tw, Gaana, ee, Gana), officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country in West Africa. It abuts the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean to the south, sharing borders with Ivory Coast in the west, Burkina Faso in the north, and To ...
, on 29 March 1944, to a prominent
Ghanaian royal and political family as the son of
Adeline
Adeline may refer to:
People
*Adeline (given name)
*Yves-Marie Adeline (born 1960), French Catholic writer
Places
*Adeline, Illinois, village in Maryland Township, Ogle County, Illinois, US
Arts and entertainment
*Adeline Records, recording lab ...
and
Edward Akufo-Addo
Edward Akufo-Addo (26 June 1906 – 17 July 1979) was a Ghanaian politician and lawyer. He was a member of the " Big Six" leaders of the United Gold Coast Convention (UGCC) and one of the founding fathers of Ghana who engaged in the fight for ...
.
His father Edward Akufo-Addo from
Akropong-Akuapem
Akropong is a town in South Ghana and is the capital of the Akuapim North District, a district in the Eastern Region of South Ghana. This town is known for producing snails and palm oil. was Ghana's third
Chief Justice from 1966 to 1970, chairman of the 1967–68 Constitutional Commission and the non-executive president of Ghana from 1970 till 1972.
Akufo-Addo's maternal grandfather was
Nana Sir Ofori Atta, King of
Akyem Abuakwa
Akyem Abuakwa is one of the four states of Akyem in 14th century Africa. Currently, it is part of Ghana. Historically, the Akyem were part of the Adansi Kingdom, which was the first nation to build buildings out of mud. They were therefore were ...
, who was a member of the executive council of the governor of the Gold Coast before Ghana's independence.
He is a nephew of
Kofi Asante Ofori-Atta
Aaron Eugene Kofi Asante Ofori-Atta, (12 December 1912 – July 1978) was a Ghanaian educator, lawyer and politician who served as the fourth Speaker of the Parliament of Ghana.
Early life and education
He was born on 12 December 1912 at Kyeb ...
and
William Ofori Atta
William Ofori Atta (10 October 1910 – 14 July 1988), popularly called "Paa Willie", was a founding member of the United Gold Coast Convention (UGCC) and one of the founding fathers of Ghana, as one of " The Big Six" detained by the British co ...
. His granduncle was
J. B. Danquah
Joseph Kwame Kyeretwie Boakye Danquah (18 December 1895 – 4 February 1965) was a Ghanaian politician, scholar, lawyer, and one of the founding fathers of Ghana. He played a significant role in pre- and post-colonial Ghana, which was former ...
, another member of
The Big Six.
He started his primary education at the Government Boys School,
Adabraka, and later went to Kinbu, in Accra Central. He went to England to study for his O-Level and A-Level examinations at
Lancing College
Lancing College is a public school (English independent day and boarding school for pupils aged 13–18) in southern England, UK. The school is located in West Sussex, east of Worthing near the village of Lancing, on the south coast of England. ...
, Sussex, where he was nicknamed 'Billy' and joined the Anglican faith.
He began the
Philosophy, Politics and Economics course at
New College, Oxford in 1962, but left soon afterwards. He returned to Ghana in 1962 to teach at the
Accra Academy, before going to read economics at the
University of Ghana
The University of Ghana is a public university located in Accra, Ghana. It the oldest and largest of the thirteen Ghanaian national public universities.
The university was founded in 1948 as the University College of the Gold Coast in the Br ...
,
Legon
Legon , a suburb of the Ghanaian city Accra, is situated about north-east of the city center in the Accra Metropolis District, a district in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana. Legon is home to the main campus of the University of Ghana. ...
, in 1964, earning a BSc (Econ) degree in 1967. He subsequently joined
Middle Temple
The Honourable Society of the Middle Temple, commonly known simply as Middle Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court exclusively entitled to call their members to the English Bar as barristers, the others being the Inner Temple, Gray's Inn ...
and trained as a lawyer under the apprenticeship system known as the
Inns of Court
The Inns of Court in London are the professional associations for barristers in England and Wales. There are four Inns of Court – Gray's Inn, Lincoln's Inn, Inner Temple and Middle Temple.
All barristers must belong to one of them. They have ...
, where no formal law degree was required. He was called to the English Bar (
Middle Temple
The Honourable Society of the Middle Temple, commonly known simply as Middle Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court exclusively entitled to call their members to the English Bar as barristers, the others being the Inner Temple, Gray's Inn ...
) in July 1971. He was called to the Ghanaian bar in July 1975.
Akufo-Addo worked with the Paris office of the U.S. law firm
Coudert Brothers
Coudert Brothers LLP was a New York City, New York-based law firm with a strong international outlook that practiced from 1853 until its dissolution in 2006.
History
The firm was established in 1853 in New York by three sons of Charles Coudert Sr ...
. In 1979, he co-founded the law firm Prempeh and Co.
Political life
Though known by his friends to have been a vocal supporter of the
Convention People's Party
The Convention People's Party (CPP) is a socialist political party in Ghana based on the ideas of the first President of Ghana, Kwame Nkrumah. The CPP was formed in June 1949 after Nkrumah broke away from the United Gold Coast Convention (UG ...
(CPP) while a student in the
University of Ghana
The University of Ghana is a public university located in Accra, Ghana. It the oldest and largest of the thirteen Ghanaian national public universities.
The university was founded in 1948 as the University College of the Gold Coast in the Br ...
, he switched sides to the rival UP tradition following the overthrow of President 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),
an organisation formed to oppose the General
Acheampong Acheampong is an Ashanti surname, which means destined for greatness. Notable people with the Ashanti surname include:
* Benjamin Acheampong (born 1990), Ghanaian footballer
* Gemma Acheampong (born 1993), American-Ghanaian track and field athl ...
-led Supreme Military Council's Union Government proposals.
In May 1995, he was among a broad group of elites who formed Alliance for Change, an alliance that organised demonstrations against neo-liberal policies such as the introduction of
Value Added Tax and human rights violations of the
Rawlings presidency. The forefront of this demonstration were himself, Abdul Malik Kwaku Baako and Saifullah Senior minister
Victor Newman
Victor Newman is a fictional character from the American CBS soap opera ''The Young and the Restless''. He has been portrayed by Eric Braeden since 1980. Initially a guest character who was to last for eight to twelve weeks, Victor has evolved ...
,
Kwasi Pratt Jnr, Dr. Charles Wreko Brobbey among others. They were joined by about 100,000 other people. The protest was named "
Kumepreko". As elite elites vied for leadership positions, the broad-based opposition alliance eventually fell apart.
In the 1990s, he formed a civil rights organisation called Ghana's Committee on Human and People's Rights.
He was a member of the 2nd, 3rd and 4th parliament of the 4th republic representing the
Abuakwa Constituency.
in the 1996 elections, he polled 28,526 votes out of the 50,263 valid votes cast representing 56.75% over Owuraku Amofa 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. 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.
Presidential bids
In October 1998, Akufo-Addo competed for the a presidential run of the
NPP and lost to
John Kufuor
John Kofi Agyekum Kufuor (born 8 December 1938) is a Ghanaian politician who served as the President of Ghana from 7 January 2001 to 7 January 2009. He was also Chairperson of the African Union from 2007 to 2008.
Kufuor's career has been spe ...
, 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 the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and
New Partnership for Africa's Development
The New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) is an economic development program of the African Union. NEPAD was adopted at the 37th session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government in July 2001 in Lusaka, Zambia. NEPAD aims to ...
(NEPAD).
In 2007, he was the popular candidate tipped to win
New Patriotic Party
, logo =
, colorcode = #132f7a
, founder =
, founded = 28 July 1992
, dissolved =
, leader = Nana Akufo-Addo
, chairman = Stephen Ayensu Ntim
Stephen Ntim elected NPP National Chairman on fifth attempt http://www.gna.org.gh/1.2152672 ...
's presidential primaries. In 2008, Akufo-Addo represented NPP in a closely
contested election against
John Atta Mills
John Evans Fiifi Atta Mills (21 July 1944 – 24 July 2012) was a Ghanaian politician and legal scholar who served as President of Ghana from 2009 until his death in 2012. He was inaugurated on 7 January 2009, having defeated the governing party ...
of NDC. 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.
Akufo-Addo ran again as
NPP's presidential candidate in the
2012 national elections against
NDC's John Mahama, successor to the late Atta Mills. Mahama was declared the winner of the election, an outcome that was legally challenged by Akufo-Addo. 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.
In March 2014, Akufo-Addo announced his decision to seek his party's nomination for the third time ahead of the
2016 election. In the NPP primary conducted in October 2014, he was declared victor with 94.35% of the votes.
Akufo-Addo also served as chair of the Commonwealth Observer Mission for the South African elections in 2014.
He focused his campaign on the economy, promising to stabilize the country's foreign exchange rate and to reduce unemployment levels.
On 9 December 2016, sitting president Mahama conceded defeat to Akufo-Addo. Akufo-Addo won the election with 53.83% of the votes against Mahama's 44.4%.
Nana 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.
On 9 December 2020, Nana Addo was declared the winner of the 7 December 2020 Ghana Presidential election after securing a majority of 51.59% of the vote, just enough to win re-election in a single round.
President of Ghana
Inauguration
Akufo-Addo took office on 7 January 2017. His inauguration was held at
Black Star Square
Black Star Square, also known as Independence Square, is a public square in Accra, Ghana, bordered by the Accra Sports Stadium and the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park. The square often hosts the annual independence celebrations as well as other nat ...
in Accra. Twelve presidents from African and
European countries
The list below includes all entities falling even partially under any of the regions of Europe, various common definitions of Europe, geographical or political. Fifty generally recognised sovereign states, Kosovo with limited, but substantial, ...
attended the ceremony, including
Edgar Lungu
Edgar Chagwa Lungu (born 11 November 1956) is a Zambian politician who served as the sixth president of Zambia from 25 January 2015 to 24 August 2021. Under President Michael Sata, Lungu served as Minister of Justice and Minister of Defence. ...
of
Zambia
Zambia (), officially the Republic of Zambia, is a landlocked country at the crossroads of Central, Southern and East Africa, although it is typically referred to as being in Southern Africa at its most central point. Its neighbours are t ...
,
Abdel Fattah el-Sisi
Abdel Fattah Saeed Hussein Khalil el-Sisi; (born 19 November 1954) is an Egyptian politician and retired military officer who has served as the sixth and current president of Egypt since 2014. Before retiring as a general in the Egyptian mil ...
of Egypt,
Ernest Bai Koroma
Ernest Bai Koroma (born 2 October 1953) is a Sierra Leonean politician who served as the fourth President of Sierra Leone from 17 September 2007 to 4 April 2018.
Born and raised in Makeni in northern Sierra Leone, Koroma spent more than 24 ...
of
Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone,)]. officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country on the southwest coast of West Africa. It is bordered by Liberia to the southeast and Guinea surrounds the northern half of the nation. Covering a total area of , Sierr ...
,
Robert Mugabe
Robert Gabriel Mugabe (; ; 21 February 1924 – 6 September 2019) was a Zimbabwean revolutionary and politician who served as Prime Minister of Zimbabwe from 1980 to 1987 and then as President from 1987 to 2017. He served as Leader of the ...
of
Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe (), officially the Republic of Zimbabwe, is a landlocked country located in Southeast Africa, between the Zambezi and Limpopo Rivers, bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the south-west, Zambia to the north, and ...
,
Muhammadu Buhari
Muhammadu Buhari (born 17 December 1942) is a Nigerian politician and current president of Nigeria since 2015.
Buhari is a retired Nigerian Army major general who served as the country's military head of state from 31 December 1983 to 27 A ...
of Nigeria.
Akufo-Addo faced backlash, especially on social media, for plagiarising parts of his inauguration speech, having lifted passages, word-for-word, from previous inaugural addresses given by American presidents
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald Kennedy (May 29, 1917 – November 22, 1963), often referred to by his initials JFK and the nickname Jack, was an American politician who served as the 35th president of the United States from 1961 until his assassination ...
,
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson Clinton ( né Blythe III; born August 19, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 42nd president of the United States from 1993 to 2001. He previously served as governor of Arkansas from 1979 to 1981 and agai ...
and
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 43rd president of the United States from 2001 to 2009. A member of the Republican Party, Bush family, and son of the 41st president George H. W. Bush, he ...
as well as prepared remarks given by
Nigerian
Nigerians or the Nigerian people are citizens of Nigeria or people with ancestry from Nigeria. The name Nigeria was taken from the Niger River running through the country. This name was allegedly coined in the late 19th century by British jour ...
President
Muhammadu Buhari
Muhammadu Buhari (born 17 December 1942) is a Nigerian politician and current president of Nigeria since 2015.
Buhari is a retired Nigerian Army major general who served as the country's military head of state from 31 December 1983 to 27 A ...
at a 2015
United States Institute of Peace
The United States Institute of Peace (USIP) is an American federal institution tasked with promoting conflict resolution and prevention worldwide. It provides research, analysis, and training to individuals in diplomacy, mediation, and other pea ...
event. 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." However, after the
mea culpa
' is a Latin phrase that means "my fault" or "my mistake" and is an acknowledgement of having done wrong. The expression is used also as an admission of having made a mistake that should have been avoided, and may be accompanied by beating the br ...
, it was found that Akufo-Addo had also plagiarised portions of his 2013 concession speech after the
Supreme Court of Ghana upheld the 2012 electoral victory of President
John Mahama. In that speech, lines were lifted verbatim from United States Vice-president
Al Gore
Albert Arnold Gore Jr. (born March 31, 1948) is an American politician, businessman, and environmentalist who served as the 45th vice president of the United States from 1993 to 2001 under President Bill Clinton. Gore was the Democratic no ...
's 2000 presidential concession speech given after the
US Supreme Court
The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) is the highest court in the federal judiciary of the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all U.S. federal court cases, and over state court cases that involve a point of ...
verdict.
Education
In September 2017, the president launched the
Free Senior High School (SHS) policy, which will make
secondary high school free for students in Ghana. 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.
Economy
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; transform agriculture and industry; revamping economic and social infrastructure; strengthening social protection and inclusion; and reforming delivery system of public services institutions. Despite the IMF 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 in Sub Saharan Africa at 16% as of 2020, far above the regional average of 6%.
LGBT rights
Akufo-Addo has taken a relatively moderate line on
LGBT rights in Ghana
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) persons in Ghana face legal and societal challenges and discrimination not experienced by non-LGBT citizens.
Same-sex sexual acts have been illegal in Ghana since the colonial era. LGBT rights ar ...
. In November 2017, he suggested that the legalisation of
homosexuality
Homosexuality is romantic attraction, sexual attraction, or sexual behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality is "an enduring pattern of emotional, romantic, and/or sexual attractions" to pe ...
is inevitable and said he can foresee a change in the law. Akufo-Addo, who spent much of his early life in
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...
, said that LGBT rights will evolve in Ghana as they have in the
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
. However, he affirmed that LGBT rights were not part of the government agenda at the moment. In August 2018, he reiterated that the
Government of Ghana
The Government of Ghana was created as a parliamentary democracy, followed by alternating military and civilian governments in Ghana. In January 1993, military government gave way to the Fourth Republic after presidential and parliamentary electi ...
would not legalise same-sex marriage or decriminalise homosexuality under his leadership.
Sports
In February 2019, Akufo-Addo's administration announced a complete renovation of sports buildings around Ghana due to the country hosting the Africa Games in 2023. Buildings include Accra and
Cape Coast Sports Stadium and the
Azumah Nelson Sports Complex in
Kaneshie
Kaneshie is a suburb in the Accra Metropolitan district, a district of the Greater Accra Region of Ghana. The name was derived from a word in the Ga-Adangbe , that is "Kane Shie Shie", meaning "under the lamp" referring to its beginnings as a nig ...
. The
University of Ghana
The University of Ghana is a public university located in Accra, Ghana. It the oldest and largest of the thirteen Ghanaian national public universities.
The university was founded in 1948 as the University College of the Gold Coast in the Br ...
Sports Stadium whose renovations were abandoned in 2009 after former President John Kufuor left office will also proceed.
Other ventures
In 2019, the number of regions in Ghana increased from ten to sixteen under the president's administration. The new regions are
Oti,
Western North,
North East,
Ahafo
Ahafo are Akan people who live in Ghana
Ghana (; tw, Gaana, ee, Gana), officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country in West Africa. It abuts the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean to the south, sharing borders with Ivory Coast in t ...
(splitting from Brong),
Savannah and
Bono East Regions. The creation of the regions ends decades of petitions to the government calling for the development of new regions.
In 2020, he signed the
UNAIDS
The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS) (, ONUSIDA) is the main advocate for accelerated, comprehensive and coordinated global action on the HIV/AIDS pandemic.
The mission of UNAIDS is to lead, strengthen and support an ...
Public Letter on People's Vaccine which was a campaign calling for accessibility of the
COVID-19
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by a virus, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The first known case was identified in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. The disease quickly ...
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.
In February 2021, Ghana became the first African country to receive COVID-19 vaccines through the World Health Organization's COVAX program. The shipment consisted of 600,000 doses of the
AstraZeneca vaccines.
In May 2020, he swore into office two appointed
Supreme Court Judges,
Issifu Omoro Tanko Amadu and
Clemence Jackson Honyenuga at the
Jubilee House
Golden Jubilee House, or Jubilee House, is the presidential palace in Accra that serves as a residence and office to the President of Ghana. Jubilee House is built on the site of a building that was constructed and used for administrative pu ...
.
Personal life
Akufo-Addo is from
Akropong-Akuapem
Akropong is a town in South Ghana and is the capital of the Akuapim North District, a district in the Eastern Region of South Ghana. This town is known for producing snails and palm oil. and
Kyebi
Kibi or ''Kyebi'' is a town and the capital of the East Akim Municipal District, a district in the Eastern Region of south Ghana, on the eastern slopes of the Atewa Range. Kibi lies at an altitude of 318 m, and, Kibi has a 2013 settl ...
in the
Eastern Region and both sides of his family are Presbyterian. He is married to
Rebecca Akufo-Addo
Rebecca Naa Okaikor Akufo-Addo (née Griffiths-Randolph; born 1951) is a Ghanaian public figure and the current First Lady of Ghana
as the wife of President Nana Akufo-Addo, 5th President of the 4th Republic of Ghana.
Rebecca Akufo-Addo is the d ...
(née Griffiths-Randolph), the daughter of judge
Jacob Hackenburg Griffiths-Randolph, the Speaker of the
Parliament of Ghana
The Parliament of Ghana is the legislative body of the Government of Ghana.
History
Legislative representation in Ghana dates back to 1850, when the country was a British colony known as Gold Coast. The body, called the Legislative Council, ...
during the Third Republic.
They have five daughters; Gyankroma Funmi Akufo-Addo, Edwina Nana Douka Akufo-Addo, Adriana Dukua Akufo-Addo, Yeboakua Akufo-Addo, and Valerie Obaze.
Honours
Awards
Akufo-Addo was presented with the
Mother Teresa Memorial International Award for Social Justice in 2016 by the Harmony Foundation for sacrificing political ambitions for the sake of national peace and reconciliation.
In 2017, he received the National Achievement Award by the
Africa-America Institute
The Africa-America Institute (AAI) is an international education organization dedicated to advancing the continent's development through higher education and skills training, convening activities, and promoting greater engagement between Africa and ...
’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.
Akufo-Addo was given an award for Exemplary Leadership in June 2018 by the
Whitaker Group.
In August 2018 he received the African Port Award by The African Port Award (APA) Foundation for his projects on modernizing Ghana's ports. In September 2018, the U.S. Africa Business Centre of the
United States Chamber of Commerce
The United States Chamber of Commerce (USCC) is the largest lobbying group in the United States, representing over three million businesses and organizations. The group was founded in April 1912 out of local chambers of commerce at the urgin ...
presented Akufo-Addo with the 2018 Outstanding Leader's Award in recognition of regional, diplomatic, and economic leadership in Africa. 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".
In May 2019, the United Nations Secretary-General
António Guterres named Akufo-Addo among the newly appointed SDG advocates as co-chair alongside the prime minister of Norway,
Erna Solberg
Erna Solberg (; born 24 February 1961) is a Norwegian politician and the current Leader of the Opposition. She served as the 35th prime minister of Norway from 2013 to 2021, and has been Leader of the Conservative Party since May 2004.
Solberg w ...
. The role of these advocates is to raise awareness, inspire greater ambition, and push for faster action on the
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
In June 2019, the
Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa
The Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa (acronym: ANOCA; french: Association des Comités Nationaux Olympiques d'Afrique, ACNOA, ar, رابطة اللجان الأولمبية الوطنية في إفريقيا) is an internati ...
(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.
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.
On 10th October 2022, the
University of Sorbonne
, image_name = Coat of arms of the University of Paris.svg
, image_size = 150px
, caption = Coat of Arms
, latin_name = Universitas magistrorum et scholarium Parisiensis
, motto = ''Hic et ubique terrarum'' (Latin)
, mottoeng = Here and a ...
in Paris, France presented a honorary doctorate degree to Akufo-Addo.
Foreign honours
*:
**
Member of the
Order of Excellence (11 June 2019)
*:
**
Grand Cross of the
National Order of the Ivory Coast (5 May 2017)
*:
**
Grand Cordon of the
Order of the Pioneers of Liberia
The Order of the Pioneers of Liberia or more formally Grand Order of the Most Venerable Order of the Knighthood of the Pioneers of the Republic of Liberia is an order (honour), order presented by the government of Liberia. The order may be presen ...
(27 May 2017)
*:
**
Collar of the
Order of Muhammad (17 February 2017)
*:
**
Grand Cross of the
National Order of the Lion
("One People, One Goal, One Faith")
, eligibility =
, criteria =
, status = Active
, founder =
, head_title = Grand Master
, head = Macky Sall
, head2_title = Grand Chancellor
, head2 ...
(16 May 2017)
*:
**
Order of the Republic of Serbia, Second Class (10 October 2021)
See also
*
Cabinet of Akufo-Addo government
References
External links
MyGHPage: Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo Biography.GhanaWeb: Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo biography.EIN News: Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-AddoGhpage: Nana Addo Dankwa Akuffo Addo family and biography
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, -
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, -
, -
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Akufo-Addo, Nana Addo Dankwa
1944 births
Akan people
Attorneys General of Ghana
Children of national leaders
Foreign ministers of Ghana
Ghanaian MPs 1997–2001
Ghanaian MPs 2001–2005
Ghanaian MPs 2005–2009
20th-century Ghanaian lawyers
Justice ministers of Ghana
Living people
Members of the Middle Temple
New Patriotic Party politicians
Ofori-Atta family
People educated at Lancing College
Presidents of Ghana
University of Ghana alumni
People from Eastern Region (Ghana)
Ghanaian Anglicans
Former Presbyterians