Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang

Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang made history as the first woman to become Vice President of Ghana, the crowning achievement in a career defined by a series of firsts. An academic, educationist and politician, she broke barriers at every stage.

Early life and academia

She was born on 22 November 1951 in Cape Coast. She built a distinguished academic career as a professor of literature at the University of Cape Coast, and in 2008 became the first woman to lead a public university in Ghana when she was appointed the institution's vice-chancellor.

Minister of Education

She entered government in 2013 as Minister of Education under President Mahama, serving until 2017. Her tenure was marked by efforts to remove children from makeshift "schools under trees," build modern facilities and provide free textbooks and uniforms.

Making history

In 2020 she was named the NDC's vice-presidential candidate, the first woman nominated for the role by a major Ghanaian party. Chosen again as Mahama's running mate in 2024, the ticket won, and in January 2025 she was sworn in as Ghana's first female vice president, a landmark moment for women in the country's politics.

Standing

A trailblazer in both education and government, Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang stands as one of the most significant figures in modern Ghanaian public life, having repeatedly opened doors that no woman had passed through before.