His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, (born March 29, 1944, Accra, Gold Coast [now Ghana]), Ghanaian lawyer and politician who became president of Ghana in January 2017.
Nana Akufo-Addo Background
Nana Akufo-Addo was born and raised in Accra(Ghana), the son of Edward and Adeline Akufo-Addo. He received his primary education in Accra, He attended the Government Boys School and then Rowe Road School. Nana Akufo-Addo further went on to the United Kingdom for his secondary education, studying at Lancing College in 1957–1961. He returned home to Ghana and began attending the University of Ghana in 1964, graduating with a bachelor’s degree in economics in 1967. Nana Akufo-Addo returned to the U.K. to study law.
Nana Akufo-Addo Personal Life
He is married to Rebecca Akufo-Addo. His wife is the daughter of Jacob Hackenburg Griffiths-Randolph, former Judge and speaker of the Parliament of Ghana during the Third Republic of Ghana.
As couple they are blessed with five daughters – Gyankroma, Edwina, Adriana, Yeboakua and Valerie.
Political Life
Akufo Addo was a member of parliament for Abuakwa from 1997 to 2004. Subsequently, a member of parliament for Akim Abuakwa South from 2005 – 2009. Under Pres. John Kufuor’s Government, Akufo-Addo served as attorney general and minister of justice from 2001 until 2003. That year Akufo Addo became foreign minister, a position he held until 2007, when he resigned in order to stand in the contest to be the New Patriotic Party’s flag bearer in the 2008 presidential election; he was elected as the party’s candidate.
He contested against John Atta Mills of NDC but lost in 2008. Also, in 2012, he contested, and lost to John Mahama. However, in 2016, Akufo Addo won the Presidential election against John Mahama under the New Patriotic Party. As flagbearer of the party ahead of the 2020 general elections, he won his second term. He won the “African Leader of the Year award” in 2020.
