Beatrice Annan, spokesperson for the John Mahama campaign team, has sharply criticized President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for what she describes as an obsession with self-immortalization, especially following the unveiling of his statue in Takoradi.
Annan’s remarks come in the wake of the statue’s unveiling at the entrance of the Effia Nkwanta Regional Hospital in Sekondi-Takoradi, during Akufo-Addo’s one-day “thank you” tour of the Western Region on November 6, 2024.
The statue, which depicts the president, has sparked widespread debate, particularly from the flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Dramani Mahama.
Mahama has criticized the monument, calling it an act of “self-praise” and questioning its relevance to the region’s developmental needs.
In her support of Mahama’s stance, Beatrice Annan appeared on Eyewitness News on Citi FM, where she expressed disapproval of the statue’s unveiling.
She pointed out the irony of the statue being placed at Effia Nkwanta Regional Hospital, emphasizing that President Akufo-Addo had no role in the establishment of the hospital or any significant healthcare development in the region.
“Nana Addo has no hospitals or regional teaching hospitals to his credit,” Annan stated.
Annan further argued that the president’s apparent desire for self-promotion through such acts was misplaced, stating, “One would have expected that since he was so obsessed with being immortalized, he would have served his nation well.”
She concluded by asserting that true leadership is not about self-glorification but about genuine service to the people. “Real leadership is not when a leader praises himself,”
Annan emphasized, reinforcing the belief that leaders should be judged by their tangible contributions to national welfare, not by statues or monuments celebrating their own image.
This criticism adds to the ongoing debate surrounding the statue and the broader question of how national leadership should be measured, with Mahama and his supporters urging for more focus on developmental progress rather than personal recognition.
