The University of Cape Coast branch of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) is pushing for the NDC flagbearer, John Dramani Mahama to maintain Prof Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang as his running mate for the 2024 Presidential elections.

In a statement signed by the branch communication officer, Dr. Jerry Paul Ninnoni and signed by its chairman, Dr. Vincent Assanful, the branch of the party says maintaining Prof. Opoku-Ayemang will increase the party's chances in the 2024 elections.

The group says there is no doubt that Professor Opoku-Agyemang is currently the most effective female politician not just within the National Democratic Congress but nationwide.

They contend that her performance in the 2020 elections that led to an increase in the number of seats the party won in the Central Region, and more crucially, her role in winning the Assin North bye-election for the NDC makes her stand tall among other contenders.

It is their hope that maintaining her would also bring gender equity to the highest level of political decision making. They further argue that since her introduction into mainstream politics as the Minister of Education during Former President Mahama’s first term in office, Prof. Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang has continued to endear herself to many, not just members of the NDC.

“Her stewardship at the Education Ministry at the time was replete with well-thought through policies whose benefits we are still reaping as a country. Her high level of expertise across all levels and sectors of education was at the disposal of the nation,” the statement said.

Below is the full statement issued by the party at the University of Cape Coast.

THE NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC CONGRESS

UNIVERSITY OF CAPE COAST BRANCH

Date:  7TH Dec. 2023

Our Ref:          

Press Release

Today December 7th, 2023 is exactly a year for Ghanaians go to the polls. We express our views on the critical moments in the political cycle of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) as the Party prepares towards the 2024 Presidential and Parliamentary Elections: the selection of a Running Mate for the Flagbearer of the NDC His Excellency John Dramani Mahama. Although a routine activity within each election cycle, the selection of a credible Running Mate is as crucial a task as it is for the election of a credible Flagbearer. For us in the NDC once the first hurdle (election of a credible Flagbearer has been achieved with nearly 100% endorsement) it is important for us to direct our energies towards selecting a Running Mate that is appealing to members of the NDC and especially those outside the NDC fraternity. We wish to state that we sincerely acknowledge without contradiction that the selection of a Running Mate is the prerogative of the Flagbearer. Therefore, we believe what we can do as committed members of the NDC fraternity is to aid the selection process by bringing out the strengths as we know it of potential Running Mate. In this regard, we wish to add our voice to the numerous voices from the within and outside the NDC to reaffirm our support for Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang as the Running Mate for the National Democratic Congress in the 2024 Presidential Election. We do so for the following reasons.  

Profile of Professor Naana Jane Opoku- Agyemang

Prof. Opoku Agyemang had her first degree at the University of Cape Coast and moved to York University, Toronto, Canada for her master’s and doctorate degrees. As a committed citizen she returned and took faculty position at the University of Cape Coast, declining numerous opportunities that were available to her abroad at the time. She rose through the ranks in a challenging male-dominated university environment to a Professor of Literature. She subsequently served in virtually all administrative positions: Head of English Department, Dean of the Faculty of Arts, Dean of School of Graduate Studies and crowned it up as the first female Vice Chancellor of a public university in Ghana when assumed the position at the University of Cape Coast in 2008. Although she has retired from active service in the University, she took a contract position and continued the training of post graduate students, many of whom have secured faculty positions in universities around the world.

Achievements and Visibility

Professor Opoku- Agyemang is a scholar of international repute and a trail blazer for females at the highest level of university administration as the first female Vice Chancellor of a public university in Ghana. She stands tall when it comes to the array of academics who have ventured into mainstream politics since the current democratic dispensation was birthed in 1992. She has therefore excelled, in no small measure, regarding the two social endeavours that she has ventured into: academia and politics.

Prior to being appointed as a Vice Chancellor of the University of Cape Coast in 2008, Prof. Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang has occupied key strategic positions at the University of Cape Coast and beyond. These positions, at the academic front, include the Head of the Department of English, the Dean of the Faculty of Arts, the Dean of the School of Graduate Studies, all in the University of Cape Coast. She is currently the Chancellor of the Women’s University in Africa. In addition, she has served on the boards of many local and international organisations including the Centre for Democratic Governance, the College of Physicians and Surgeons as an Eminent Citizen, the editorial board of the Harriet Tubman Series on the African Diaspora (Africa World Press Inc. USA) and the Africa Initiative in Canada among others. She received the Ghana National Award of the Officer of the Order of the Volta in 2011.

Prof. Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang announced her arrival on Ghana’s political scene when she was appointed as the Minister of Education in 2013. Since then, she has endeared herself to many across the political divide mainly as a result of her decorous approach to politics, especially how she reacts even under the worst provocation. Her campaign messages were devoid of attacks on opponents. Her intensive campaign in the coastal communities and her home region, the Central Region, yielded results as the NDC regained most of the constituencies they had lost in 2016.

As the Minister of Education, one of her focus areas was empowering women and the girl child through education. Indeed, she focused on policies that enhanced inclusive education which gave birth to the Inclusive Education Policy 2015. Prof. Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang is an accomplished professor of literature whose knowledge of the cultural nuances of development is deep, very deep.

Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang's Contributions to the NDC and the need to maintain her as JM’s Running Mate for the 2024 election

There is no doubt that Professor Opoku-Agyemang is currently the most effective female politician not just within the National Democratic Congress but nationwide. Since her introduction to mainstream politics as the Minister of Education during Former President Mahama’s first term in office Prof. Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang has continued to endear herself to many, not just members of the NDC. Her stewardship at the education ministry at the time was replete with well-thought through policies whose benefits we are still reaping as a country. Her high level of expertise across all levels and sectors of education was at the disposal of the nation.

She has since served as the rallying point for TEIN (UCC) and continued to provide guidance for the members, with specific interest in encouraging female members to play key roles in TEIN. Professor Opoku- Agyemang’s influence transcends the University of Cape Coast and the two Constituencies in Cape Coast. Her easy-to-approach character has been a wonderful attraction during her visits. Particularly, this has manifested in the last bye-election in Assin North Constituency. For the first time in the Fourth Republic the NDC has performed creditably in the polling stations in the University of Cape Coast campus which is usually not the case in previous elections. She appeals to the electorates anywhere she goes, and she is not bothered about going to the most difficult terrains. She is a quintessential Running Mate whose retention will inure to the benefits of the NDC in the 2024 election.    

We base our assessment of Professor Naana Jane Opoku Agyemang’s suitability for the Running Mate position on the fact that in politics, especially in our part of the world, consistency, besides one’s capabilities is key in achieving electoral results. The choice of Prof. Opoku- Agyemang brings on board many benefits to the NDC as a political party gearing to take over the governance of Ghana, a country that is gradually sliding into the abyss. Prof. Opoku Agyemang would be the first female Vice President of Ghana if the NDC wins the 2024 election, which is highly possible, repeating her achievement as the first female Vice Chancellor of a public university in Ghana. Not only will this feat be celebrated locally, but it will also make a strong global statement on Ghana’s commitment to mainstreaming gender into our political space and giving women a lead role in politics. It is just not a matter of individual achievement but what she brings on board as far as the NDC’s agenda for 2024 is concerned.

The NDC’s performance in the 2020 elections is there for all to see. The decision by former President John Dramani Mahama to settle on Prof. Opoku- Agyemang as his running mate for the 2020 election nearly gave the NDC the ultimate if not because of the draconian tactics of the incumbent government at the time. This is why maintaining her as the running mate for the 2024 election is non-negotiable if the NDC wants to take over the governance of Ghana from January 2025. 

Conclusion

In conclusion, we wish to restate some of the points above.

Bringing gender equity to the highest level of political decision making;

Her performance in 2020 elections and the increase in the number of seats for the NDC in the Central region;

Her role in the Assin North bye-election;

Role after the 2020 elections.

ISSUED:

DR. JERRY PAUL NINNONI

BRANCH COMMMUNICATION OFFICER

SIGNED:

DR. VINCENT ASSANFUL

BRANCH CHAIRMAN