By Prince Acquah
Cape Coast, Dec. 11, GNA – “Your name has become synonymous with breaking boundaries. You have opened the door for boundless opportunities for many of our female citizens.
“Because of you, the people of Ghana can celebrate the fact that we have made history by electing our first woman as Vice- President,” the President-elect, John Dramani Mahama, said.
The eulogy to the Vice President-elect, Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, during Mr Mahama’s victory speech, reflects the mood of many Ghanaians currently, particularly the Central Region, her home region.
Prof Opoku-Agyemang has already made a historic mark in academia when she was appointed the first female Vice-Chancellor of a state university; the University of Cape Coast.
Indeed, on the political landscape, a female vice president for Ghana has been long overdue for a 67-year-old country practising sustainable democracy for the past 32 years.
Prof Opoku-Agyemang was first nominated in 2020 by Mr Mahama, the flagbearer of the then opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) to be his running-mate, but the elections did not go in their favour.
They lost to President Nana Addo Dunkwa Akufo-Addo and Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), who were re-elected to serve a second term.
The choice of Professor Opoku-Agyemang by the NDC, the major opposition party, was considered unprecedented and was widely applauded.
That, however, was not without a challenge. While some political opponents saw it as an attempt to play the gender card in the 2020 electioneering campaign, some of her party members didn’t think she would fit the bill of a quintessential firebrand politician owing to her calm disposition.
Against all odds, she was nominated again for the NDC ticket for the 2024 presidential election and now, she has made history.
Prof Opoku-Agyemang, in her victory speech after the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission, Madam Jean Mensa, declared Mr Mahama as president-elect of the 2024 presidential election, underscored the role of women in nation building and stressed the need for inclusivity.
“I know this is a big responsibility, and I don’t intend to travel the journey by myself. You are all part of it. NDC is an inclusive party, and we are demonstrating it in many ways,” she said.
“My job was to open the door and it does not end there. Actually, that is where the work begins. I will hold the door open. The method of hope of opening the door, the method of holding the door open so, others wish to travel that door is what I’m implying. It is not a self-aggrandising position. It is a position that empowers others.”
“This country is not going to be built only by half the gender. Whether we are in the public space or not, the roles we play are significant. As the NDC, we have accepted the responsibility to facilitate this process.”
Expressing excitement over her elevation, some students and lecturers of the UCC said given her outstanding track record as Ghana’s first female Vice Chancellor, her political ascension would be a momentous event in Ghanaian politics, positioning her as a trailblazer for women in positions of authority and those aspiring to lead.
Miss Mavis Williams Esuon, a student, radiating with joy and optimism, told the Ghana News Agency that Prof Opoku-Agyemang deserved the elevation.
While acknowledging her resilience, she admitted: “Although I did not vote for her, I take pride in Prof Opoku-Agyemang’s affiliation with UCC, as we are recognised as the premier institution in Ghana.”
Miss Emmanuela Kwofie, another student, emphasised the significance of her appointment as Ghana’s first female Vice President and Head of the Economic Management Team, underscoring its importance for women’s empowerment.
“I am confident that Prof Opoku-Agyemang’s integrity, dedication to duty and vision for a prosperous Ghana will be evident in the years to come.”
Mr Solomon Okine, a Bachelor of Science student, majoring in biological science, praised her integrity and public service ethos, making her the ideal candidate to steer Ghana in the right direction.
He expressed the belief that her new position would contribute to the national agenda of fostering inclusivity, diversity and the empowerment of women in leadership roles.
A senior lecturer, who preferred to remain anonymous, commended the vice president-elect for her achievement in inspiring women and encouraging men to support women in reaching the pinnacle of their potential.
The lecturer applauded Mr Mahama for his resolute decision to retain Prof Opoku-Agyemang as his running-mate for the 2024 elections, expressing full confidence in her ability to serve effectively in that role.
Within the Department of English, where she taught for several years, some faculty members and staff reminisced about her rigorous teaching methods, recalling how students were “hesitant” to enrol in her courses because she exacted standards.
One staff member, who was once a student in Prof Opoku-Agyemang’s class, fondly remembered her emphasis on academic excellence with statements like; “If you have the potential to attain an ‘A’ grade, then that should be your goal. Settling for a ‘B+’ should not suffice.”
A distinguished academic born on November 22, 1951, was Ghana’s Education Minister from 2013 to 2017 during which she introduced various reforms to improve the education sector.
She was the Vice-Chancellor of the UCC from October 2008 to September 2012, succeeding Prof Emmanuel Addow-Obeng.
As the Vice Chancellor, she significantly increased the number of academic staff with terminal degrees through an aggressive recruitment process and adequately resourced the Optometry and Laboratory Technology Departments to warrant their opening by the National Accreditation Board.
She initiated and completed work on the establishment of an Oil and Gas Institute at the University and introduced the University’s strategic plan. She led a massive infrastructural development of the school.
Prof Opoku-Agyemang attended the Wesley Girls High School from 1964 to 1977 where she attained and Ordinary and Advanced level certificates.
She has a Diploma Superiere D’Etudes Francaises from the University of Dakar, Senegal, and B.A (Hons) with a Diploma Degree in Education from UCC, as well as M.A. and PhD degrees in Education from York University in Toronto, Canada.
She obtained the Doctor of Laws (LLD) Honoris Causa, University of the West Indies in 2010, and Doctor of Humane Letters (DLitt) Honoris Causa, North Carolina in 2011.
She joined UCC’s Faculty of Arts as lecturer in 1986, became a senior lecturer in 1993, an associate professor in 2001 before attaining full professorship in 2006.
Throughout her education and career, Prof Naana has served in many leadership positions and received countless awards and honours for her distinguished service.
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 City.
In October 2009, she was elected Ghana’s representative to the Executive Board of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO).
GNA