Akufo-Addo’s Legacy: What will history remember about his presidency

Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo served as the 13th President of Ghana from January 2017 to January 2025.

His tenure saw the introduction of major policies and programmes including the Free Senior High School programme (Free SHS), One District, One Factory (1D1F), Agenda 111, the National Cathedral project, among others.

However, his second term in office was also characterised by major setbacks, including, economic crisis stemming partly from a debt restructuring programme that affected investors and growing public concern about illegal mining widely known as “galamsey”.

Here is why Akufo-Addo is trending

This GhanaWeb article takes a look at his time in office, some key policies that defined his administration, as well as the setbacks that shaped his eight-year presidency.

Free SHS

The Free SHS programme is arguably what most Ghanaians will remember him for, it improved access to senior high school education in the country.

However, its implementation was fraught with challenges, schools faced pressure on existing facilities, while the introduction of the double-track system raised concerns about contact hours and the quality of education.



The initiative was launched in 2017 to transform the country's economy from raw material exports to value-added industrialization by establishing a factory in each of the 261 districts, creating jobs and reducing poverty.

However, the promise was not fully realised, raising questions about its implementation.

Agenda 111

The healthcare infrastructure programme was launched in 2021 to improve access to healthcare across the country. However, the project faced funding and construction delays and none of the hospital projects were fully operational at the time of leaving office.

National Cathedral

A proposed national religious monument that attracted controversy over its financing, construction progress and the use of public funds.

However, it became controversial over the use of public funds, procurement processes and delays in construction.

Construction remains stalled, and in October 2026, the Mahama administration has said it would not commit further public funds to the project while the Attorney General reviews a forensic audit on the project.

Year of Return

A 2019 initiative that encouraged members of the African diaspora to visit Ghana, promoting tourism, investment and cultural connections.

Economic crisis and IMF bailout

Ghana experienced severe economic difficulties during Akufo-Addo’s second term, leading to an IMF support programme in 2023 amid high inflation, currency depreciation and rising living costs and certainly many Ghanaians will not forget the economic crisis they experienced during his tenure.

Domestic Debt Exchange Programme (DDEP

Introduced as part of efforts to restructure Ghana’s debt, the programme affected domestic bondholders, including pensioners and financial institutions.

Illegal mining

Despite government interventions and promises to protect the environment, illegal mining widely known as galamsey remained a major concern because of its effects on forests, rivers and farmland.

'Akufo-Addo’s legacy will be written in gold' - Abu Jinapor

His administration faced questions about their fight against the menace as they struggled to bring it under control.

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