Ophelia Hayford

Ophelia Mensah Hayford is a former police officer who entered Parliament in tragic circumstances, taking up the Mfantseman seat in the Central Region after her husband, the sitting MP, was killed. She represented the constituency for the New Patriotic Party (NPP) from 2021 to 2025.

27 years in the police

Born on 29 October 1973 and hailing from Akropong-Akuapem, Hayford joined the Ghana Police Service as a recruit in 1993. Over 27 years she worked in the Interpol unit at the CID headquarters and rose to Assistant Superintendent of Police. Along the way she earned a degree in political science and linguistics and a law degree.

Stepping into her husband's place

Her husband, Ekow Quansah Hayford, was Mfantseman's NPP MP. He was shot dead by armed men in October 2020 while returning from a campaign event, weeks before the general election. The party chose Ophelia to replace him on the ballot. She resigned from the police, as the Constitution requires, and won the seat that December.

She has two children. Ebenezer Prince Arhin of the NDC won Mfantseman in 2024.