The National Executive Committee of the National Democratic Congress Monday approved Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, an educationist, and a former Education Minister, as the running mate of Mr John Dramani Mahama, their flagbearer for the 2020 General Election.

This follows a meeting held at the Party’s headquarters in Accra, ahead of the formal announcement of the flagbearer.

The announcement was made by Mr Sammy Gyamfi, the National Communication Officer, after former President Mahama had consulted the NEC on the choice of a running mate in accordance with Article 43 of the NDC's Constitution and Article 60(2) of Ghana's 1992 Constitution.

Prof. Opoku-Agyemang is the first female to be selected as a running mate by the NDC and would become the first female Vice-President of the Republic should the Party win the December polls.

The mother of three adult children, who is currently the Africa Board Chairperson of the Forum for African Women Educationalists (FAWE), was in 2013 appointed by the then President Mahama, as the Minister of Education.

From 2008 to 2012, Prof. Opoku-Agyemang was the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cape Coast, the first female to hold that position in a state university.

She was born on November 22, 1951 in Cape Coast and attended the Anglican Girls’ Secondary at Koforidua, Aburi Presbyterian Girls’ School and the Wesley Girls’ High School at Cape Coast from 1964 to 1971 for her basic to secondary education.

Prof. Opoku-Agyemang completed her Bachelor of Education (Hons) in English and French Programme at the University of Cape Coast in 1977 and obtained her Masters and Doctorate degrees from the York University in Toronto, Ontario, Canada in 1980 and 1986, respectively.

She held various positions at the University of Cape Coast before rising to the position of Vice-Chancellor from 2008 to 2012 and chaired more than 20 Boards and Committees.

They include the Council of the University College of Education, Winneba 1998-2002; Academic Committee of the Ghana Council for Tertiary Education; and she was a Co-coordinator of the Specialist Program in English Language and Ghanaian Culture for Japan Overseas Co-operation Volunteers in 1991-1993.

Prof. Opoku-Agyemang has also chaired a number of Boards, including the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD-Ghana) and the Board of Governors of the Wesley Girls High School.

In recognition of her outstanding contribution to the development and promotion of quality education in Ghana, the Ghana Women of Excellence Award was conferred her.

She is a fellow of the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences; University Teachers Association of Ghana; English Studies Association; African Studies Association, USA; African Literature Association, USA; and the International Fulbright Scholars Association.
Prof. Opoku-Agyemang has published many books and articles and received honorary doctoral degrees from the University of West Indies and Winston-Salem University.

She is also the recipient of Global Leadership Award from the University of South Florida in Tampa and the Officer of the Order of the Volta Award for Academic Distinction.