Former President John Dramani Mahama has officially confirmed Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang as his running mate for the 2024 presidential elections in Ghana.
The National Democratic Congress (NDC), the main opposition party in Ghana, announced the confirmation of Prof. Naana Jane as Mahama’s running mate on March 8, 2021, coinciding with the International Women’s Day.
Prof. Naana Jane, 69, is a distinguished academic, politician and gender activist. She was the first female Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cape Coast, one of the leading public universities in Ghana. She also served as the Minister of Education under Mahama’s administration from 2013 to 2017.
Prof. Naana Jane is widely respected for her achievements and contributions to the fields of education, literature, culture and women’s rights. She has authored several books and articles, and has received numerous awards and honors, both locally and internationally.
Prof. Naana Jane is also known for her integrity, humility and charisma. She has a reputation of being a consensus-builder and a problem-solver. She has a strong appeal among the youth, women and intellectuals in Ghana.
Prof. Naana Jane made history in 2020 when she became the first female running mate of a major political party in Ghana. She partnered with Mahama in the 2020 presidential elections, which were narrowly won by the incumbent President Nana Akufo-Addo of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
The NDC and Mahama have challenged the results of the 2020 elections in the Supreme Court, alleging that they were rigged and flawed. The Supreme Court is expected to deliver its verdict on March 15, 2021.
The confirmation of Prof. Naana Jane as Mahama’s running mate for the 2024 polls is seen as a strategic move by the NDC to consolidate its support base and to attract more voters, especially women and young people, who make up more than half of the electorate in Ghana.
The confirmation also signals the NDC’s commitment to promoting gender equality and women’s empowerment in Ghana’s politics and governance. Ghana has one of the lowest rates of women’s representation in parliament and public office in Africa, with only 13.5% of the seats in the current parliament occupied by women.
The confirmation also sets the stage for a fierce contest between Mahama and Akufo-Addo in the 2024 polls, which will be the third time that the two rivals will face each other in a presidential race. Mahama defeated Akufo-Addo in 2012, but lost to him In 2016 and 2020.
The 2024 polls will be a crucial test for Ghana’s democracy and stability, which have been praised as examples for the rest of Africa. The polls will also be an opportunity for the Ghanaian people to choose the leader and the party that can best address the challenges and opportunities facing the country, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, the economic recovery, the social development and the regional integration.
Source: GhanaWeb
