IT’s John and Jane again
-As NDC repeats running mate for the first time
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has announced Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang as the Running Mate to the Party’s flag bearer, John Dramani Mahama, for the 2024 presidential election.
This is the first time the NDC is repeating running mate in the 4th Republic. Records from 1992 indicate that, the NDC, has always changed running mates, especially when in opposition.
This was after a National Executive Committee Meeting held on Thursday, March 7, 2024, in Accra.
A statement signed by Mr Fifi Fiavi Kwetey, NDC General Secretary, said her confirmation was indication of the Party’s commitment to “diversity and inclusivity of women in leadership roles.
“Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang is a distinguished academic and leader renowned for her dedication to education and public service.
“Having served as Minister for Education and as the first female Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cape Coast, she has emerged as a trailblazer for women in leadership across Ghana.
“Her nomination underscores the NDC’s unwavering commitment to inclusivity, diversity, and the empowerment of women in leadership roles,” the statement read.
The Party said Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang “brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the NDC’s presidential ticket”.
President John Mahama, Mr Kwetey added, had expressed confidence in his Running Mate, praising her “integrity, dedication, and vision for a better Ghana,” adding the Professor was “the ideal candidate” to join him in leading NDC to victory in the 2024 elections.
“The NDC is excited to present such a formidable team to lead the Party’s ticket. With John Mahama and Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang at the forefront, the NDC is poised to introduce a bold and progressive vision for the future of Ghana,” the statement added.
In her acceptance statement, Prof. Opoku-Agyemang promised to serve Ghana with integrity and dignity should the NDC wins the 2024 General Election.
She said she did not take the confidence reposed in her “lightly” and would serve the people of Ghana with “integrity and dignity” when the Party wins power.
Professor Opoku-Agyemang, hailed Mr Mahama and the National Executive Committee of NDC for showing commitment to “inclusivity, innovation, and belief in the Ghanaian woman”.
“I received the news of my confirmation as Running Mate to His Excellency John Dramani Mahama with profound humility and great honour.
“…This is the second time the former President John Dramani Mahama has nominated me as his Running Mate. I express my eternal gratitude to the NDC Council of Elders, the National Executive Committee, the rank and file of our party, friends, well-wishers and indeed all Ghanaians for the overwhelming support and endorsement.
“I am not one to take lightly the confidence reposed in me, neither am I oblivious of the national decay and widespread despondency in our beloved country. I express my absolute readiness and commitment to partner His Excellency John Dramani Mahama to serve the people of Ghana with integrity, dignity, truthfulness, hard-work and patriotism to reposition our dear country as a beacon of hope and opportunity,” she stated.
Professor Opoku-Agyemang again expressed confidence in Mr Mahama’s ability to give a “selfless, incorruptible, visionary and inclusive leadership,” adding that the country “urgently needs Mr Mahama to transform the fortunes of Ghanaians”.
Profile
She was born on November 22, 1951 in Cape Coast and attended the Anglican Girls’ Secondary at Koforidua, Aburi Presbyterian Girls’ School and the Wesley Girls’ High School at Cape Coast from 1964 to 1971 for her basic to secondary education.
Professor Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang has distinguished herself in service to academia in Ghana.
A testament to this is the fact that she is the recipient of Ghana’s highest recognition, Officer of the Order of the Volta for Academic Distinction.
But most of her public exposure in political circles came as she served as the Minister for Education of Ghana under the John Mahama administration.
Before her role in government, she served as Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cape Coast from 2008 to 2012, making her the first woman Vice-Chancellor of a public University in Ghana.
She was a Professor of Literature, at the School of Humanities and Legal Studies at the school.
Since 1986, Prof. Opoku-Agyemang headed the Department of English, served as Dean of the Faculty of Arts, been the Dean of the Board of Graduate Studies and was the founding Dean of the School of Graduate Studies and Research.
She has served as Academic Director of the School for International Training in the History and Cultures of the African Diaspora for 11 years.
In March, 2007, she was one of five scholars selected to deliver presentations during the 200th Anniversary of the Abolition of Slavery at the United Nations Headquarters in New York.
In October 2009, she was elected Ghana’s representative to the Executive Board of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) and was re-elected for a second time to the Executive Board.
Prof. Opoku-Agyemang further served as the President of the Forum for African Women Educationalists and has been a member since 2014.
For her academic foundations, she obtained her Diplôme Supérieure d’Etudes Françaises from the University of Dakar, Senegal in 1976, a B. A. (Hons) with a Diploma in Education from the University of Cape Coast in 1977 and Masters and Doctorate degrees from York University in Toronto, Canada in 1980 and 1986 respectively.
Prof. Opoku-Agyemang has twice been a Fulbright scholar and a member of the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences and Fellow of the Commonwealth of Learning.
The former minister has chaired more than 20 Boards and Committees, among them: the Council of the University College of Education, Winneba 1998-2002; the Academic Committee of the Ghana Council for Tertiary Education; and was Joint Co-coordinator of the Specialist Program in English Language and Ghanaian Culture for Japan Overseas Co-operation Volunteers 1991-1993.
Prof. Opoku-Agyemang has three children and grandchildren.
