Fact-checking Akufo-Addo’s final State of the Nation’s Address

During his final State of the Nation Address (SONA) delivered on January 3, 2025, before Parliament, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo spoke about several successes his government has chalked and challenges they faced between January 2017 and January 2025 as he prepared to exit office.

He touched on every facet of national life, from the education sector to infrastructure development, social services, diplomacy, the economy, and sports.

In this fact-check, GhanaFact interrogates five claims he made during the address. 

Claim 1

“In 2023, Ghana became the second country in Africa and the third in the world to receive results-based payments from the World Bank carbon fund for reducing emissions under the Ghana Cocoa REDD+ programme.”

Fact-check

On January 24, 2023, the World Bank issued a publication indicating that Ghana became the second country in Africa after Mozambique to receive payments from its trust fund for reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation, commonly known as REDD+.

“The World Bank’s Forest Carbon Partnership Facility (FCPF) paid Ghana $4,862,280 for reducing 972,456 tons of carbon emissions for the first monitoring period under the program (June to December 2019),” the publication stated.

The then Country Director, Pierre Laporte, said “Subject to showing results from actions taken to reduce deforestation, Ghana is eligible to receive up to $50 million for 10 million tons of CO2 emissions reduced by the end of 2024.” 

Verdict 

The claim by President Akufo-Addo is rated True.

Claim 2

“We launched the National Ambulance Service’s revitalisation programme, increasing the number of ambulances from fifty-five (55) barely functioning ambulances to over three hundred (300), ensuring timely emergency response and saving countless lives.”

Fact-check

Ghana’s ambulance fleet has been a major concern for the country’s health sector. In 2018, news reports (here, here, and, here) highlighted how only 55 ambulances served the country’s population, which was more than 29 million at the time. 

In fact-checking the president’s claim that over 300 ambulances have been added to Ghana’s ambulance stock, GhanaFact found news articles from 2020 when Akufo-Addo commissioned 307 ambulances (here, here and here) under the Ministry of Special Development Initiative’s “One Constituency, One Ambulance project.” 

Later in 2020, the government received parliamentary approval to purchase an additional 112 ambulances at the cost of €18.8 million (find here and here). 

Verdict: 

The claim by President Akufo-Addo about providing more than 300 ambulances is true. 

Claim 3

“We are handing over the country with Gross International Reserves of almost eight billion United States dollars ($8 billion). This is more than the six-point-two billion United States dollars ($6.2 billion) of Gross International Reserves my administration inherited in 2017.”

Fact-check

GhanaFact reviewed data from the Bank of Ghana’s official documents, including annual reports and press releases.

The Bank of Ghana 2016 Annual Report reported Gross International Reserves (GIR) at US$6,161.8 billion.

As of November 29, 2024, according to the Monetary Policy Committee Press Statement by the Bank of Ghana, Ghana’s GIR increased to US$7.92 billion as of November 22, 2024.

The GIR as of November 2024 was almost US$8 billion, as claimed by President Akufo-Addo, and US$6,161.8 billion when Akufo-Addo came into office in 2017.

Verdict

This claim is therefore rated true.

Claim 4

“We were told by the Minority Leader, on the campaign trail and in the presence of the now President-Elect that my successor will increase the price per bag of cocoa from the current GH¢3,100 to GH¢6,000.”

Fact-check

During a National Democratic Congress (NDC) campaign event at Abura Asebu Kwamankese constituency last year, the then Minority Leader, Cassiel Ato Forson criticised the government for underpaying cocoa farmers.

According to excerpts of the program shared on Facebook by UTV on September 24, 2024, he stated thus: 

“The government sells a bag of cocoa for GH¢9,800. According to Ghana’s cocoa policy, the revenue should be divided into three parts, with the government taking one part and the cocoa farmers receiving two parts. However, the current government takes two parts, leaving the farmers with only one part. Essentially, the government is supposed to give cocoa farmers GH¢6,500, but instead, they receive only GHS3,000. This means that every cocoa farmer is owed GH¢3,000 by the government.”

He did not explicitly promise that the NDC government led by President John Mahama would increase the price of cocoa to GH¢6,000

Verdict

This claim is therefore rated Misleading.

We have also reached out to Ato Forson for a reaction on this claim. This report will be updated as and when he responds to us.

Claim 5 

“Under the Green Ghana Project, over fifty-two million trees have been planted in just four (4) years of its implementation.”

On June 11, 2021, Ghana launched Green Ghana Day, an initiative led by the president to combat climate change through large-scale afforestation and reforestation. The first edition saw 7 million trees planted nationwide, two million more than the projected figure. 

Fact-check

GhanaFact used reports from reputable media houses where the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources gave an account of the projected trees to be planted and the actuals.

Find sources here: (2021, 2022, 2023, 2024)

Verdict 

The president’s claim is rated True

Researched by GhanaFact Newsroom

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