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The Paramount Chief of Lower Dixcove, Nana Akwasi Agyeman IV, has denied claims made by former Western Regional Minister Kwabena Okyere Darko Mensah that chiefs of the Western Region contributed to the controversial Akufo-Addo statue erected in front of the Effia-Nkwanta Hospital in Sekondi.
The statue, unveiled during former President Akufo-Addo’s thank-you tour in November 2024, has been the subject of intense criticism and public outcry, culminating in its destruction by unknown individuals on January 13, 2025.
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In an interview with a Takoradi-based radio station, Nana Akwasi Agyeman clarified that the chiefs had no involvement in the statue’s construction or funding. He revealed that he was ambushed into participating in the unveiling ceremony.
“Frankly, I promised not to comment on the statue issue because of the widespread insults we chiefs have suffered. I, Nana Akwasi Agyeman, can confirm that the statue was not done by the chiefs of the Western Region.
“It is never true. No chief contributed a pesewa towards its construction. If any chief contributed towards it, I’m yet to know. The second fact is that the chiefs never met as the House of Chiefs to discuss donating a statue to honour the then-President Nana Akufo-Addo,” he stated.
The chief recounted how he and six other Paramount Chiefs were invited to a thank-you tour event at the GNAT Hall and later led to Effia-Nkwanta Hospital without prior knowledge of the statue.
“It was there that Okyere Darko Mensah sent someone to inform me that he would like us to join them to present a gift of appreciation to the president, and so we would all go to Effia-Nkwanta Hospital.
“It was upon arriving there that I got to know it was a statue. I didn’t even know it was a statue. They gave me a chair close to the former president to sit on,” he explained.
Nana Akwasi Agyeman admitted feeling uneasy about the situation but chose to participate to avoid creating a scene. “Honestly, I initially didn’t want to do it, but I was worried about creating a scene, so I kept quiet. We went ahead to unveil it, and I only thanked the president on my own behalf, not on behalf of the chiefs.”
The statue has since been a flashpoint of public frustration, with many Western Region residents criticising it as a misplaced priority, given the perceived lack of development in the area during Akufo-Addo’s presidency.
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