By Daniel Agbesi Latsu
Kadjebi (O/R), Oct. 24, GNA – The women’s wing of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Akan Constituency of the Oti Region have described the death of the former First Lady, Nana Konadu Agyemang Rawlings as a monumental loss to Ghana and to the party she helped shape.
Ms Happy Mamam, the Akan NDC Women’s Organiser, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA), said the passing of Nana Konadu had left a deep void in the political landscape, particularly among women who looked up to her as a role model and an advocate for gender equality.
She noted that the former First Lady was a trailblazer who inspired many women, including herself, to believe that they could play active and meaningful roles in national politics.
“Before Nana Konadu came to the limelight, society perceived women who took part in politics as disrespectful and unruly. But through her courage, dedication, and the immense support she gave to her husband, the late Flt. Lt. Jerry John Rawlings, during the revolutionary and democratic periods, helped to change that narrative,” Ms. Mamam said.
She added that the late former First Lady, as founder and leader of the 31st December Women’s Movement, championed several initiatives that empowered women economically and socially. These included vocational training, literacy, healthcare, and income generation, all of which contributed significantly to national development.
Ms Mamam said the movement, under the leadership of Nana Konadu, provided women across Ghana with the platform and confidence to take part in leadership and governance, and that her impact continues to resonate decades later.
Ms Mabel Fadji Akakpo, a former Akan NDC Women’s Organiser, also expressed sorrow at the passing of the former First Lady, describing her as a visionary leader who worked tirelessly for the advancement of women.
She recalled that through the 31st December Women’s Movement, the late Nana Konadu supported the establishment of a gari processing centre at Dodo-Dompa, a farming community in the Kadjebi District, which provided employment opportunities and improved livelihoods for rural women.
Ms. Akakpo said, “Her legacy in empowering women, promoting education, and advancing community development cannot be underestimated. She was a true mother of the nation who dedicated her life to service and transformation.”
The Akan NDC women, she added, would continue to uphold the values of hard work, discipline, and service to humanity that the former First Lady stood for.
GNA
Edited by Maxwell Awumah/Linda Asante Agyei