Ghana 2020: Open Letter to Professor Jaane Naana Opoku Agyemang

Ahead of  Ghana’s December 7, 2020 presidential election, the National Democratic Congress, NDC’s presidential candidate and former President of the country July 24,  2012 – January 7, 2017, John Mahama, on August 12, officially unveiled his running mate, Professor Jaane Naana Opoku Agyemang. Born on November 22, 1951 as Jane Naana Sam in Cape Coast, Ghana, Professor Agyemang is a politician and educationalist. She had  served as Education Minister in Mahama’s administration between 2013 and 2017. Professor Opoku-Agyemang, who has a record breaking  pedigree of being the first female Vice-Chancellor of a state University in University of Cape Coast, is at the centre of attraction yet again. In this open letter by Alhaji Abdulsalam Mohammed Daaru, Professor Opoku-Agyemang’s attention is drawn to the urgent need to prioritize empowerment of Zongo women should NDC be favoured in the poll on November 7  

“His Excellency, Former President John Dramani Mahama officially introduced you as His running mate for 2020 Election to the National Chief Imam, Sheikh Dr Usman Nuhu Sharubutu, cross section of Muslim leaders and chiefs. That event marks the beginning of your political covenant with the Zongo-Muslim community.

Clearly, gender empowerment is a key issue that NDC is advancing for election 2020 and no body can underestimate neither the impact of Women Population in Ghana nor your capacity and qualification as running mate.

Your outdooring speech was very inspiring and i believe you have a lot to contribute beyond gender!

However, I am writting to draw your attention to an important group within NDC, that you found it important to single out for special acknowledgement yesterday at the event, Zongo Women, who made the event colorful and cheerful for you. If and when you get the opportunity to serve the high office of Vice President of Ghana, do remember to champion their empowerment and integral inclusion.

Zongo women, our mothers, sisters, wives, grand monthers, are vibrant, loyal, enthusiastic, and  hardworking fabric for grassroots mobilization within Zongo. A role they have played from the period of Inception till now.

With the gender card on the table, its important your party ensured a special plan to empower and build the capacity of these important Zongo group and their likes in other societies of Ghana .

Zongo Women: Most of them are MSME traders and are not candidates for National Security appointments like their male counterparts. Many of the NDC Zongo Caucus Magajias from the National to lower levels  need to be empowered, mentored, included in critical decision making process, and their efforts amplified.

Professor Jaane Nana, let the gift they presented to you yesterday and their veil that you borrowed forever remind you of this group and champion their empowerment from now. Only when you do that, then you will be giving true meaning to your words ” all our ancestors have contributed to the Space call Ghana”

My focus is to look at election 2020 from the Zongo lenses with critical objectivity and utmost advocacy for Zongo Development