Ghana’s former First Lady Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings has died at the age of 76.
Mrs Agyeman-Rawlings died on Thursday at Ridge Hospital in Accra, nearly five years after the death of her husband, former president Jerry John Rawlings.
A formidable figure in Ghanaian politics, she served as First Lady from 1981 to 2001 during her husband’s leadership under the Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC) and later the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
Born on 17 November 1948 in Klottey Korle, Accra, Mrs Agyeman-Rawlings was a politician, businesswoman and founder of the National Democratic Party (NDP). In 2016, she made history by becoming the first woman to contest Ghana’s presidency.
She founded the 31st December Women’s Movement, a non-governmental organisation dedicated to promoting women’s participation in politics and economic development. The organisation became instrumental in advancing women’s rights across Ghana.
Mrs Agyeman-Rawlings is survived by 4 children, including Zanetor Rawlings, who serves as Member of Parliament for Korley Klottey constituency
