Who is Jane Opoku-Agyemang, Ghana’s First Female Vice President

Prof. Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang has officially taken office as the Vice President of Ghana following her swearing-in on Tuesday.

The event took place at the iconic Independence Square in Accra, where Chief Justice Her Ladyship Gertrude Torkornoo administered the oath of office.

Prof. Opoku-Agyemang, who served as the running mate to President-elect John Dramani Mahama during the 2024 general elections, has made history as Ghana’s first female Vice President.

Running alongside President-elect John Dramani Mahama, her historic win under the National Democratic Congress (NDC) banner in the 2024 elections has been widely celebrated as a groundbreaking achievement for gender representation in Ghanaian politics.

Who Is Jane Opoku Agyemang?

Jane Opoku Agyemang was born in November 22, 1951. She was married to fellow academic, Edmund Opoku-Agyemang at the age of 33, she has three accomplished children Dr. Kweku Opoku-Agyemang, Dr. Kwabena Opoku-Agyemang, and Dr. Maame Adwoa Opoku-Agyemang and two grandchildren.

Academic Background

Jane Opoku attended Anglican Girls’ 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. She earned a Diploma in Advanced Studies in French from the University of Dakar and obtained her master’s degree and Doctorate degrees from York University in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, in 1980 and 1986, respectively.

She is a full professor of Literature, She served as the first female Vice-Chancellor of a state university in Ghana before taking over as the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cape Coast.
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.

Political Roadmap

Prof Jane Opoku-Agyemany path to this historic moment has been marked by perseverance and dedication to the public. In December 2020 Ghanaian presidential election, she was selected by John Mahama as his running mate on the NDC party ticket. Her 2020 nomination as the National Democratic Congress (NDC) vice-presidential candidate, though unsuccessful, was a pioneering moment in itself. As the first female running mate for a major political party in Ghana, Opoku-Agyemang broke barriers that had long excluded women from the highest levels of political power.

After she lost the election, she returned to the classroom and in August 2024, she resigned as the Vice-Chencellor of the Women’s University in Africa in Zimbabwe to join politics.

She was selected again as running mate to the 9th parliament John Dramani Mahama in 2024 and won, becoming the first female Vice President of Ghana. Opoku-Agyemang made history as the first elected female VP in the country’s history. The inauguration was attended by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu; Senegal’s Bassirou Diomaye Faye; Burkina Faso’s leader Ibrahim Traore; Kenyan President William Ruto; President Felix Tshisekedi of the Democratic Republic of Congo and Gabon’s Brice Oligui Nguema and other dignitaries across all walks of life.

Her achievement

Prof Jane Opoku-Agyemany has many publications on women in literature, oral literature in Africa and she is a member of Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences and Fellow of the Commonwealth of Learning. She collected local and international awards, including honorary doctorate award.
Prof Opoku-Agyemang is a human right activist that advocate for quality education and end to gender-based violence against Ghanaian women.
During her time in office as minister for education, she championed reforms that expanded access and quality in schools, directly impacting thousands of students across the country.

Impact

Prof Jane Opoku-Agyemany success in the election is more than just a political victory; it symbolises a significant step toward achieving gender equality in a male-dominated field.
This victory is not just for Opoku-Agyemang, but for all women in Ghana and across Africa. Her election represents a powerful symbol of what is possible when women are given the opportunity to lead. It provides hope and inspiration to future generations of women, particularly those aspiring to make their mark in governance and public life.

Ghanaian Reactions On Jane Opoku-Agyemang Becoming First Female Vice-president

Ghanaians has expressed their joy by celebrating Opoku-Agyemany on their social media pages.

X user @NanaAmaBampoh
“Madam Vice President! Your historic achievement is a monumental step for women and young girls, proving that glass ceilings are meant to be shattered. Here’s to inspiring a new generation of empowered leaders! To our visionary President, our hearts are overjoyed with your choice!”

X user @efiadahemaa
“The most alluring thing a woman can have
is confidence. In the future, there will
be no female leaders. There will just be leaders. And begins with you Professor Jane Nana Opoku-Agyeman. You make us women so proud and more daring
Congratulations Ghana !!! “

X user @a_asantewaao
“H. E. Prof. Jane Naana Opoku Agyemang’s swearing in gave me chills bruh!
‘And while she may be the first woman in that office, she will certainly not be the last-because every young woman watching this now knows that such an achievement is within reach.’ “

X user @AmaMarley_
“Her Excellency Professor Naana Jane Opoku Agyeman. Vice President of the Republic of Ghana 🇬🇭

As a little girl, I was always told I could be anything I dreamed of. I grew up during the powerful “Send Your Girl Child to School” movement—a time of possibility and hope. And now, how incredible is it that young girls in Ghana can look up and see a Ghanaian woman leading the way, breaking barriers? A woman of many firsts, the first female Vice President of the Republic of Ghana. What a moment! The glass ceiling isn’t just cracked—it’s shattered! “