Meet The Possible NDC/John Mahama Female Vice Presidential Candidates For 2020 Elections

As the majority of Ghanaians are glamouring for change in governance, the mantel is being fallen on opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) and former President John Dramani Mahama to form the next government come 2021.

According to political watcher and researchers, is very obvious that former president John Mahama will once again be the flag-bearer of the NDC in the 2020 general election.

Meanwhile, what has become a major concern of party activists and floating voters is the selections of a vice-presidential candidate to partner H.E John Dramani Mahama.

But according to a piece of reliable information available to TODAYGHANANEWS, there is, therefore, a huge possibility that, the NDC and John Mahama will go for a female vice presidential candidate from the southern sector of the country, with an ethnic background of being an Ewe, Ga Adamgbe, a Fante or an Akan.

The essence to consider choosing a running mate is to appeal to a particular pool of voters, therefore going for a female vice president is a smart move by the NDC.

When given the opportunity, according to a study published by Development Dimensions International, companies with the greatest numbers of women in leadership roles perform the best financially, and a recent survey found that female entrepreneurs are more likely to succeed than their male counterparts.

As a result, women who secure leadership roles are often significantly more qualified for the job than their male counterparts.

According to CDD’s recent Afro Barometer report, Ghanaian female politicians are better than men at working out compromises and being honest and ethical.

Seeing a woman excel is one of the most powerful roles thas the potential to change hearts and minds in ways that could make a huge difference for other women.

Therefore, not surprisingly, the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), under the 4th republican constitution, has produced women of high-quality leadership roles who have contributed to the well being of Ghanaians and on the international stage.

TodayGhanaNews brings to you the most likely Female vice presidential candidates to run with former president John Mahama. The following are their names, educational background and professional achievements.

Ms. Hanna Serwa Tetteh

Hanna Serwaa Tetteh (born 31 May 1967) is a Ghanaian barrister and politician. She served in the cabinet of Ghana as Minister for Trade and Industry from 2009 to 2013 and Minister for Foreign Affairs from 2013 to 2017. She was also the former Member of Parliament of the Awutu-Senya West constituency.

Early life and education

Hanna Tetteh was born in Szeged, Hungary, to a Ghanaian father and Hungarian mother. Her secondary education was at the Wesley Girls High School at Cape Coast in the Central Region of Ghana from 1978 to 1985. Between 1986 and 1989, she studied law at the University of Ghana where she obtained the Bachelor of Law (LL.B) degree. She then attended the Ghana School of Law, becoming a Barrister-at-Law in 1992.[1]

Career

Hanna Tetteh did her National Service as a Legal Officer with the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) from 1992 to 1993. After completing her National Service she worked in Private legal practice with the Law firm Ansa-Asare and Company, of Hencil Chambers in Accra, Ghana.

Career in national politics

Hanna Tetteh won the Awutu Senya constituency seat in the December 2000 parliamentary election and served for one term as a National Democratic Congress Member of Parliament on the opposition benches. She did not contest her seat in the next election. She was elected as a National Executive Member of the National Democratic Congress in 2005 and in 2008 she was appointed as National Communications Director of the NDC, replacing John Dramani Mahama, who had become the vice presidential candidate of the NDC as the running mate of John Atta Mills, the party’s presidential candidate. The 2008 presidential campaign and the role she played in managing the party’s communication strategy for that election made her a more prominent political figure and she became one of the main spokespersons for the NDC.

After the NDC victory in the 2008 elections Tetteh became the Spokesperson for the newly elected Government while the process of making new appointments was ongoing and in February 2009 President John Atta Mills nominated her for the position of Minister of Trade and Industry. Following her confirmation by Parliament, she took over the portfolio and held the position of Minister of Trade and Industry from February 2009 to January 2013. During her tenure as Minister of Trade and Industry, she was also a member of the Government’s economic management team, a member of the board of the Millennium Development Authority responsible for the oversight of the implementation of the first Millennium Challenge Corporation Compact in Ghana. She also served on the National Development Planning Commission and was the Chairperson of the Ghana Free Zones Board (GFZB).

When John Mahama succeeded the deceased President Atta Mills in 2012, he also appointed Tetteh as the Communications Director for his 2012 election campaign. She also decided to contest for a parliamentary seat once again and was elected to the newly created Awutu Senya West constituency seat in the December 2012 election.[3]

Minister of Foreign Affairs, 2013–2017

Following the elections, Tetteh was nominated by President Mahama as Minister for Foreign Affairs and appointed as such in January 2013 after parliamentary approval.[4][5] While serving as Minister for Foreign Affairs, she was also a member of the National Security Council and the Armed Forces Council.[6]

When President Mahama became the Chairman of the Authority of ECOWAS Heads of State and Government in March 2014, Tetteh became the Chairperson of the ECOWAS Council of Ministers at the same time.

After leaving her office in 2017, Tetteh served as Richard von Weizsäcker Fellow at Robert Bosch Foundation. From 2017 until 2018, she was a Co-Facilitator in the IGAD-led High-Level Forum for the Revitalisation of the Agreement for the resolution of the conflict in South Sudan.

Career with the United Nations, 2018–present

In 2018, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres appointed Tetteh as Director-General of the United Nations Office at Nairobi (UNON), succeeding Sahle-Work Zewde.[9][10][11] Shortly after, she again succeeded Zewde, this time as Special Representative to the African Union and Head of the United Nations Office to the African Union (UNOAU).

Marietta Brew Appiah-Oppong

Marietta Brew Appiah-Oppong (was born in Tema), is a Ghanaian Female legal practitioner and a former Attorney General of Ghana and Minister for Justice of Ghana. She was appointed by President Mahama in 2013.

She is the second woman to hold this office in the country, the first being Mrs. Betty Mould-Iddrisu. Her tenure as Attorney General of Ghana ended on 6 January 2017. In June 2018, she was appointed to serve a 3 year term on the International Criminal Court’s Court of Arbitration for a three-year stint spanning 1 July 2018 – 30 June 2021. the Decision to appoint her was taken on June 21, 2018 at the ICC’s World Council Meeting in Paris.[2]

Education

Marietta started her education at the Tema Parents Association School. She had her secondary education at the St Roses Senior High (Akwatia) where she sat for the Ordinary Level Certificate(O level) and Advanced Level Certificate (A level). She later obtained her Bachelor of Laws (LLB) Degree from the University of Ghana, Legon and her Professional Certificate to practice law from the Ghana School of Law, (Makola). She then went to the Institute of Social Studies, Hague in the Netherlands, for her Post Graduate Degree.]

Career

Marietta has been a practising lawyer for the past twenty years where she started her practice at Fugar and Co. law firm. She then moves to become a senior partner at Lithur Brew and Co law firm.

Politics

She was a member of the Ghana @50 Commission of Enquiry and also a Board Member of the Volta River Authority(VRA) appointed by the late President John Atta-Mills in 2009.

Marietta Brew Appiah-Oppong was appointed as the Attorney General of Ghana and Minister for Justice of Ghana by the former President John Dramani Mahama from February 2013 to 6 January 2017.[6]

International Chamber of Commerce

She was appointed to serve on the Court of Arbitration of the International Chamber of Commerce from 1 July 2018 for a three-year term

H.E Mrs Zita Benson

Her Excellency Mrs. Zita Sabah Benson former Ghana’s Ambassador to the Czech Republic and a former Minister for Tourism and Mister of Information.

Education

Mrs. Zita Benson is a graduate of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology and the Ghana Law School.

Politics

Mrs. Zita Benson was the first Minister for Information in the National Democratic Congress government of President John Atta Mills.

She held that portfolio through the first year of the Mills government. Zita Benson was appointed Minister for Tourism by President Mills in a cabinet reshuffle in January 2010.

Prof. Jane Naana Opoku Agyemang

Prof. Jane Naana Opoku Agyemang is a former Minister for Education in Ghana. She was appointed in 2013 by President John Mahama after the 2012 Ghanaian general election and served until January 2017 when the Nana Akuffo-Addo administration was elected to power. She is a member of the National Democratic Congress.

Professor Opoku-Agyemang, former Vice-Chancellor of University of Cape Coast, Ghana, was the first female Vice-Chancellor of a state University in Ghana. She assumed duty on 1 October 2008, succeeding Emmanuel Addow-Obeng.

Biography

Born on 22 November 1951 in Cape Coast, Ghana, Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang attended Anglican Girls’ Secondary School at Koforidua and Aburi Presby Girls’ School. She then had her secondary education at the Wesley Girls High School in Cape Coast from 1964 to 1971. She completed B.Ed.(Hons) in English and French at the University of Cape Coast in 1977 and obtained her Masters and Doctorate degrees from York University in Toronto, Ontario, Canada in 1980 and 1986 respectively.

Professor Opoku-Agyemang taught and worked at the University of Cape Coast, starting in 1986. She has held various academic positions including Head of the Department of English, Dean of the Faculty of Arts, Warden of Adehye Hall, Valco Trust Fund Post-Graduate Hostel, and Dean of School of Graduate Studies and Research. From 1997, she has held the position of Academic Director of the School for International Training in the History and Cultures of the African Diaspora. From 2008-2012 she was the University’s Vice-Chancellor.

In March, 2007, she was one of five scholars selected to deliver presentations during the 200th Anniversary of the Abolition of Slavery at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City.

In October 2009, she was elected Ghana’s representative to the Executive Board of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO).

Professional association

Opoku-Agyemang is a member of the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences, University Teachers Association of Ghana, English Studies Association, African Studies Association, United States, African Literature Association, United States and International Fulbright Scholars Association, among others.

Awards

Opoku-Agyemang has been honoured with honorary degrees from the University of West Indies and Winston-Salem University. She has also received an award for Global leadership from the University of South Florida in Tampa.