Naana Opoku-Agyemang, the best choice for Ghana – Mahama
The overwhelming impressive qualities and confidence exuded by Professor Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang, confirms that she is the best choice for Ghana.
Those are the words of the presidential candidate of the National Democratic Congress, introducing his running mate, Prof Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang.
Speaking at a ceremony to outdoor his running mate on Monday, Mr Mahama said that “With Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, l can confidently say that we have made the best choice for Ghana. We are providing a winning, credible and most competent ticket.”
The former president stressed that Professor Opoku-Agyemang is indeed an achiever with unquestionable credentials.
Touching on her track record as Education Minister, the former President said Prof Opoku-Agyemang, the first female Vice-Chancellor of a public university in Ghana, has shattered many glass ceilings.
“I was glad when one of her sterling contributions to academia and health care as my Minister for Education sequenced the genome of the virus, which causes coronavirus disease. I am referring to the establishment of the West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens.
He also launched into a list of achievements of the woman partnering him into an election in which he is seeking a comeback, after losing the 2016 elections to President Nana Akufo-Addo.
“Leading the transformation of the educational sector as our Minister for Education, our Running Mate supervised the achievement of many great feats that make me proud to be working with her.
“She converted polytechnics into fully-fledged technical universities, led the negotiations that secured the World Bank funding for the flagship Secondary Education Improvement Project (SEIP) that saw the major upgrading of facilities in Senior High Schools and the construction of 23 Community Day Senior High Schools,” he listed as some of the achievements under her watch as Minister.
The NDC Flagbearer argued that on the whole, Professor Opoku-Agyemang has improved the quality of basic education which has resulted in Ghana’s all-time best BECE performance.
According to the NDC Flagbearer, his choice of running mate reinforced the bold decisions that the NDC party will be making in future.
“We intend to change the face of politics in the country by ensuring an all-inclusive party for all,” he said.
There’s been a lot of controversy following the announcement of the choice of running mate for the former president, John Mahama.
Political pundits and some women groups have applauded Prof Opoku-Agyemang’s nomination as a feather in the cap of women,
But critics of the NDC say although she has impeccable credentials, she will not make much of a difference as she will not be the one on the ballot.
About Professor Opoku-Agyemang
Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang (born 22 November 1951 in Cape Coast, Ghana) is a former Minister for Education in Ghana.
She was appointed in 2013 by former President John Mahama after the 2012 Ghanaian general election.
Professor Opoku-Agyemang served until January 2017 when the Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s administration was elected to power.
She assumed duty on October 1, 2008, succeeding Emmanuel Addow-Obeng.
The choice of Prof Opoku-Agyemang means the NDC is sticking its faith with the Central Region where it has picked most of its running mates since 1992— Ekow Nkensen Arkaah (1992); J.E.A Mills (1996) and Paa Kwesi Amissah-Arthur (2012 & 2016).
The university don has scored many first already—she is the first Ghanaian woman to be appointed a Vice-Chancellor in 2008.
She would, however, become the seventh woman to run on the ticket of a political party in Ghana.
Other female running mates of the past
In 1992, Naa Afarley Sackeyfio became the first woman to be selected as a Vice-Presidential candidate in Ghana, joining the Presidential bid of the National Independent Party’s (NIP), Kwabena Darko.
The Peoples National Convention (PNC) followed suit 16 years later with Petra Amegashie as Dr Edward Mahama’s running mate.
In 2012, Cherita Frimpomaa Kumankuma ran with Forster Abu Sakara on the ticket of the CPP.
The PNC’s Hassan Ayariga also partnered Helen Senorita Dzatugbe Matervi in the 2012 polls, while the PPP’s Dr. Papa Kwesi Nduom found competence in Eva Lokko (now late) as a running mate in the same year.
In 2016, Dr. Papa Kwesi Nduom made another female choice for a running mate by choosing Brigitte Dzogbenuku.
However, the first woman to contest as a Presidential candidate was Former first lady, Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings.