Prof. Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang is a phenomenal woman

Prof. Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, PhD/FGA/CoL, is a phenomenal woman who embodies

hope and empowerment for Ghanaian women striving for greater heights. The opportunity for her to serve as vice president is inspiring and empowering for many women in Ghana.

It is a serious form of insanity for some to think that a man at 80 years old can be president while a woman at 70 cannot be vice president. This disparity shows blatant disrespect towards women and must not be tolerated. Women across the country should unite against this discriminatory act by the NPP.

Prof. Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang is not just a decent woman; she is a symbol of breaking gender barriers. Her remarkable accomplishments reflect her competence and dedication to serving Mother Ghana.

The NDC’s running mate for the election in 2024 is the immediate former President of FAWE (Forum for African Women Educationalists) and Chairperson of its Africa Board.

She is a former Minister for Education in Ghana and the first woman to be nominated to the position of running mate for a major political party, the National Democratic Congress of Ghana, in the 2020 general elections.

Prof. Opoku-Agyemang was appointed the Vice Chancellor of the University of Cape Coast in 2008, the first female Vice Chancellor of a public university in Ghana.

Before heading the institution, she had served in various positions as head of the Department of English, Dean of the Faculty of Arts, Dean of the Board of Graduate Studies, and Founding Dean of the School of Graduate Studies and Research, all at the University of Cape Coast.

She was also the academic director of the African Diaspora Studies program at the School for International Training Study Abroad.

She’s currently a member of the World Learning Global Advisory Board in the USA.

In October 2009, she was elected Ghana’s representative to UNESCO’s Executive Board.

She was re-elected for a second time to the UNESCO Executive Board.

She is currently the Chancellor of the Women’s University in Africa, situated in Harare, Zimbabwe.

She has a Diplôme Supérieure d’Etudes Françaises from the University of Dakar, Senegal; a B.A. (Hons) [English and French] with a Diploma in Education from the University of Cape Coast; and Masters and Doctorate degrees from York University in Toronto, Canada.

In recognition of her outstanding contribution to the development and promotion of quality education in Ghana, the Council of Komenda Traditional Area in the Central Region of Ghana honored her with the State Sword, while the Order of the Volta (the highest award Ghana confers on her citizens) and the Ghana Women of Excellence Award were conferred on her.

She has been a member of the University Teachers Association of Ghana.

English Studies Association, Ghana; African Studies Association, USA; African Literature Association, USA; and the International Fulbright Scholars Association.

Board members: Association of African Universities, North America; Adam Matthew Digital, UK; Canada Initiative, Canada; Harriet Tubman Series, York University, Canada, among others.

She is the recipient of four honorary doctoral degrees: from the University of the West Indies (LLD, Doctor of Laws), Barbados campus; Winston Salem University (DLitt, Doctor of Humane Letters), North Carolina; Grand Valley State University (DLitt, Doctor of Letters), Michigan; and the University of Cape Coast (DLitt, Doctor of Letters), Ghana.

She has also been awarded the Global Leadership Award by the University of South Florida, Florida State.

She was twice recognized by World Learning Inc., USA, for outstanding performance in international education.

Award for Outstanding Contribution to Education by the Africa Education Leadership Awards, Mauritius, and by the many national and international awards, including Outstanding Contributions to:

The Education of Women and Girls by FAWE.

The African Women of Excellence Award (Education Category).

The RUFORUM Award for Outstanding Contributions to Higher Education in Africa.

She is also a two-time Fulbright scholar.

Fellow of the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences.

A Fellow of the Commonwealth of Learning (COL).

Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang is blessed with three adult children:

Dr. Kweku Opoku-Agyeman, Dr. Kwabena D. Opoku-Agyemang, and Dr. Adwoa A. Opoku-Agyemang, as well as two adorable grandchildren, Nana Kwesi and Papa Kweku.

Congratulations to John Dramani Mahama and the NDC for making the right decision. Now, what one should note is that women have no place on the ticket of the NPP. The surest way to kill your self-esteem and strong ambitions as a woman is to join the NPP. Over there, there is a high level of gender discrimination that must not be taken lightly. Ghanaian women should prove that a woman can also be a vice president, just like in the USA.