Who really is Dr Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings? Exploring the three sides of the Minister-designate

The Member of Parliament for Korle Klottey, Dr Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings, was vetted and approved by Parliament following her nomination as Minister of Environment, Science and Technology designate.

The nomination of Zanetor by President John Dramani Mahama has brought renewed attention to a political figure who is loved by many across the political divide.

Zanetor, the daughter of the late former President Jerry John Rawlings and former First Lady Nana Konadu Agyemang-Rawlings, has carved her own path in Ghana’s political landscape beyond her family name.

Interestingly, Dr Zanetor's story is not defined by politics alone. Her career reflects three distinct dimensions of her public identity: the medical doctor, the parliamentarian and the daughter of a former president of the Republic of Ghana.

Each of these identities has shaped public perceptions of her and influenced the path she has taken.

This article looks at the three sides to Zanetor; her professional background and political career to the enduring legacy of the Rawlings name.

First Daughter Zanetor:

If there are two people who would be happy about the strides Zanetor is making in the political landscape, they should be her late parents, former President Jerry John Rawlings, and former First Lady Nana Konadu Agyemang-Rawlings who appeared to be grooming her for such a time as this.

Being the first daughter of former President Rawlings came with a lot of public scrutiny for Zanetor.

From an early age, Zanetor was exposed to the demands and pressures of public life, having spent part of her childhood during her father’s years as Ghana’s head of state.

Her family was frequently in the public eye, making her upbringing different from that of many other Ghanaian children.

In an interview in 2025, Zanetor opened up about some of her childhood experiences with her late father, former President Jerry John Rawlings, describing them as still traumatising.



She recounted a particular memory involving her footwear, which continues to affect her perspective to this day.

"Wow. I remember my dad when he would come to the house... girls are supposed to have more shoes?... I'm still traumatised by that today. I don't have that many shoes. I still have to remind myself to buy shoes because he would come to our room and open the wardrobe to see how many shoes we had. Then you would be like, why do you need so many shoes? You don't need so many shoes. You only need one pair to go to school," she said.

Today, she has grown up to become a minister of state.

Medical Zanetor:

As indicated earlier, Dr Zanetor Agyemang-Rawlings is a medical doctor. She is a trained physician from the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland.

According to the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Presidential Centre, she has practised medicine for over a decade. She worked as a medical doctor in general practice early in her career.

She is also known for championing foundations and initiatives on women's and children's rights and improving sanitation in Ghana.

She also holds regular medical screening exercises and other health initiatives for her constituents and the general public.

MP Zanetor:

Zanetor is a third-term Member of Parliament for Korle Klottey. She was first elected to the House in 2017 on the ticket of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).

She currently serves on a number of key committees of the House, including the Parliamentary Select Committee on Security and Intelligence, which she chairs.

She is one of Ghana’s delegates to the Pan-African Parliament. She was recently voted the Second Vice President of the Pan-African Parliament (PAP).



Her pronouncements during debates on the floor of Parliament, as well as sittings of committees of the House, have won her admiration from many, including even her political opponents.

Zanetor has played a key and active part in the campaign of the NDC ahead of the 2024 election, which the party won.

She mostly delivered speeches on corruption at the party’s campaign events.

BAI/VPO