CDD Ghana Congratulates Prof. Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang

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The Centre for Democratic Development Ghana (CDD Ghana), has congratulated its Ex-Board Member, Professor Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang on her nomination as the Vice Presidential Candidate for the National Democratic Congress (NDC) for the December 7 General Election.

The Centre, in a statement copied to the Ghana News Agency said: “CDD Ghana notes with deep pride and gratitude that Prof Opoku-Agyemang served as a member of the Centre’s Governing Board from its founding in 1998 until her appointment as Minister of Education in 2013.

“She adds to a list of distinguished CDD-Ghana Board Alumni who have gone on to pursue careers in national government and other sphere of public life, among them are the current Minister of State in-charge of Tertiary Education, Prof Kwesi Yankah and Justice of the Court of Appeal, Her Ladyship Justice Angeline Mornah Domayaareh,” it said.

The National Executive Committee of the NDC Monday approved Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, an educationist, and a former Education Minister as the running mate of Mr John Dramani Mahama.

Prof. Opoku-Agyemang is the first female to be selected as a running mate by the NDC and would become the first female Vice-President of the Republic should the Party win the December polls.

The mother of three adult children, who is currently the Africa Board Chairperson of the Forum for African Women Educationalists (FAWE), was in 2013 appointed by the then President Mahama, as the Minister of Education. From 2008 to 2012, Prof. Opoku-Agyemang was the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cape Coast, the first female to hold that position in a state university.

She was born on November 22, 1951 in Cape Coast and attended the Anglican Girls’ Secondary at Koforidua, Aburi Presbyterian Girls’ School and the Wesley Girls’ High School at Cape Coast from 1964 to 1971 for her basic to secondary education.

Prof. Opoku-Agyemang completed her Bachelor of Education (Hons) in English and French Programme at the University of Cape Coast in 1977 and obtained her Masters and Doctorate degrees from the York University in Toronto, Ontario, Canada in 1980 and 1986, respectively.

She held various positions at the University of Cape Coast before rising to the position of Vice-Chancellor from 2008 to 2012 and chaired more than 20 Boards and Committees.

She was the Council of the University College of Education, Winneba 1998-2002; Academic Committee of the Ghana Council for Tertiary Education, and a Co-coordinator of the Specialist Programmme in English Language and Ghanaian Culture for Japan Overseas Co-operation Volunteers in 1991-1993. Prof. Opoku-Agyemang also chaired a number of Boards, including; the Board of Governors of the Wesley Girls High School.

In recognition of her outstanding contribution to the development and promotion of quality education in Ghana, the Ghana Women of Excellence Award was conferred on her.

She is a fellow of the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences; University Teachers Association of Ghana; English Studies Association; African Studies Association, USA; African Literature Association, USA; and the International Fulbright Scholars Association.

Prof. Opoku-Agyemang has published many books and articles and received honorary doctoral degrees from the University of West Indies and Winston-Salem University.

She is also the recipient of Global Leadership Award from the University of South Florida in Tampa and the Officer of the Order of the Volta Award for Academic Distinction.

By: GNA