Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang (

née The birth name is the name of the person given upon their birth. The term may be applied to the surname, the given name or to the entire name. Where births are required to be officially registered, the entire name entered onto a births registe ...

Sam; born 22 November 1951) is a Ghanaian academic and politician who currently serves as the eighth

vice president of Ghana The vice president of Ghana is the second-highest officer in the Government of Ghana. The vice president, together with the President of Ghana, is directly elected by the people through popular vote to serve a four-year term in office. The vice- ...

under President

John Mahama John Dramani Mahama (; born 29 November 1958) is a Ghanaian politician who has been the 14th president of Ghana since January 2025. A member of the National Democratic Congress (Ghana), National Democratic Congress (NDC), he served as the 12th p ...

since 7 January 2025. She previously served as

Minister for Education An education minister (sometimes minister of education) is a position in the governments of some countries responsible for dealing with educational matters. Where known, the government department, ministry, or agency that develops policy and deli ...

from February 2013 to January 2017 under President Mahama's first administration. She is a professor of literature, and served as the first female Vice-Chancellor of a state university in Ghana when she took over as

Vice-Chancellor A vice-chancellor (commonly called a VC) serves as the chief executive of a university in the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Australia, Nepal, India, Bangladesh, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, South Africa, Kenya, other Commonwealth of Nati ...

of the

University of Cape Coast The University of Cape Coast (UCC) is a public collegiate university located in the historic town of Cape Coast in the central region of Ghana. The campus has a rare seafront and sits on a hill overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. It operates on two ...

. She served as the Chancellor of the

Women's University in Africa Women's University in Africa (WUA) is a "private university which is supported through student fees and donors from around the globe", established in 2002 and located in Marondera Marondera, originally known as Marandellas, is a capital city ...

in Zimbabwe until her resignation in August 2024. In the December 2020 Ghanaian presidential election, Opoku-Agyemang was selected by

as his running mate on the NDC party ticket. She was selected again as running mate to Mahama in

2024 The year saw the list of ongoing armed conflicts, continuation of major armed conflicts, including the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Myanmar civil war (2021–present), Myanmar civil war, the Sudanese civil war (2023–present), Sudane ...

and won, becoming the first female vice president. Opoku-Agyemang has been celebrated for breaking barriers and achieving historic milestones in Ghanaian academia and politics.

Early life and education

An ethnic Fante, Opoku-Agyemang was born on 22 November 1951 in

Cape Coast, Ghana Cape Coast is a city and the capital of the Cape Coast Metropolitan Assembly, Cape Coast Metropolitan District and the Central Region (Ghana), Central Region of Ghana, Ghana. It is located about from Sekondi-Takoradi and approximately from Ac ...

as Jane Naana Sam. She attended Anglican Girls' School at

Koforidua Koforidua, also popularly known as K.dua or Koftown and now Kofcity, is a city and the capital of Eastern Region, Ghana, Eastern Region of Ghana. The city has a population of 183,727 people as of 2010. The city is a blend of colonial and moder ...

and Aburi Presby Girls' School. She then had her secondary education at the Wesley Girls High School in

Cape Coast Cape Coast is a city and the capital of the Cape Coast Metropolitan Assembly, Cape Coast Metropolitan District and the Central Region (Ghana), Central Region of Ghana, Ghana. It is located about from Sekondi-Takoradi and approximately from Ac ...

from 1964 to 1971. She completed her B.Ed.(Hons) in English and French at the

in 1977. She earned a Diploma in Advanced Studies in French from the

University of Dakar Cheikh Anta Diop University (), also known as the Cheikh Anta Diop University of Dakar, is a university in Dakar, Senegal. It is named after the Senegalese physicist, historian and anthropologist Cheikh Anta Diop and has an enrollment of over 60, ...

and obtained her master's degree and Doctorate degrees from

York University York University (), also known as YorkU or simply YU), is a public university, public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is Canada's third-largest university, and it has approximately 53,500 students, 7,000 faculty and staff, ...

Toronto Toronto ( , locally pronounced or ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, most populous city in Canada. It is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Ontario. With a p ...

Ontario Ontario is the southernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Located in Central Canada, Ontario is the Population of Canada by province and territory, country's most populous province. As of the 2021 Canadian census, it ...

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...

in 1980 and 1986 respectively.

Career

Academic career

Opoku-Agyemang taught and worked at the

, 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 the Founding Dean of the 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 to 2012 she was the university's Vice Chancellor. She assumed duty on 1 October 2008, succeeding Emmanuel Addow-Obeng. In March 2007, she was one of five scholars selected to deliver presentations during the 200th Anniversary of the Abolition of

Slavery Slavery is the ownership of a person as property, especially in regards to their labour. Slavery typically involves compulsory work, with the slave's location of work and residence dictated by the party that holds them in bondage. Enslavemen ...

at the

United Nations Headquarters The headquarters of the United Nations (UN) is on of grounds in the Turtle Bay, Manhattan, Turtle Bay neighborhood of Midtown Manhattan in New York City. It borders First Avenue (Manhattan), First Avenue to the west, 42nd Street (Manhattan), 42nd ...

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

. In October 2009, she was elected Ghana's representative to the executive board of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO). Ahead of the 2012 general elections, Jane Opoku Agyemang moderated the debate with

Kojo Oppong Nkrumah Kojo Vincent Oppong Nkrumah (born 5 April 1982) is a Ghanaian politician and lawyer. He is the member of parliament for the Ofoase-Ayirebi constituency. He previously served as the Minister of Information from November 2018 and later as the Min ...

. On 26 October 2018, she became Chancellor of the Women's University in Africa located in

Zimbabwe file:Zimbabwe, relief map.jpg, upright=1.22, Zimbabwe, relief map Zimbabwe, officially the Republic of Zimbabwe, is a landlocked country in Southeast Africa, between the Zambezi and Limpopo Rivers, bordered by South Africa to the south, Bots ...

. She has served on many local and international boards and committees such as the Centre for Democratic Governance, (CDD-Ghana), the editorial board of the Harriet Tubman Series on the African Diaspora (Africa World Press Inc. USA), the Africa Initiative in

, and the College of Physicians and Surgeons as an Eminent Citizen.

Author

Opoku-Agyemang is an author. Her focus areas include Literature with a focus on Women from

Ghana Ghana, officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country in West Africa. It is situated along the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean to the south, and shares borders with Côte d’Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, and Togo to t ...

, Oral literature in

and

Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent after Asia. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 20% of Earth's land area and 6% of its total surfac ...

, and Communication Skills and Issues in the African Diaspora. As an academic, she has written and published in scholarly journals and presented articles at various conferences including at the 200th Anniversary of the Abolition of

at the

and at the Inaugural Lecture to the

Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences The Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences (GAAS) is a learned society for the arts and sciences based in Accra, Ghana. The institution was founded in November 1959 by Kwame Nkrumah with the aim to promote the pursuit, advancement and dissemination ...

. In 2015, as Education Minister, she published and launched a five-volume collection of published folktales titled ''"Who Told the most incredible story?"''

Politics

Minister for Education

Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang at 2013 US Independence day celebration

Between February 2013 and January 2017, she served as the Minister of Education after she was appointed by President

to serve in that role after the National Democratic Congress had won the

2012 Ghanaian general election General elections were held in Ghana on Friday 7 December 2012 to elect a president and members of Parliament in 275 electoral constituencies. Owing to the breakdown of some biometric verification machines, some voters could not vote, and voting ...

."Prof. Opoku Agyeman heads Education, Tekper is new Finance Minister"
; MyArkFMOnline.com, 11 January 2013. During her tenure, she spearheaded several transformative reforms aimed at improving the quality, inclusivity, and accessibility of education across the country.Transforming Education
globalpartnership.org. Accessed 27 February 2024. One of her significant achievements was the introduction of the Inclusive Education Policy in 2015. This landmark policy aimed to ensure that children with special needs could access quality education alongside their peers, promoting equal opportunities and inclusivity in Ghana’s education system. A key focus area during her tenure was empowering girls and advocating for gender equity in education. Her leadership drove the implementation of policies that tackled gender disparities, promoted higher female enrolment and retention rates, and empowered girls through education. Her initiatives played a pivotal role in creating more inclusive opportunities for young women across Ghana. Additionally, she led the conversion of 10 polytechnics across the regions into technical universities, a bold initiative that elevated the status of these institutions, broadening their academic scope and enhancing vocational education. This reform was instrumental in aligning Ghana’s educational framework with global trends, equipping students with practical skills for a competitive job market. During her tenure, Opoku-Agyemang initiated the construction of 124 Community Day Senior High Schools, known as "E-Blocks," to improve access to secondary education in underserved areas. By the end of her term, 50 schools were completed and operational, providing modern facilities such as science laboratories, libraries, and ICT centres. This initiative significantly expanded educational opportunities, particularly in rural and peri-urban communities, and underscored her commitment to addressing disparities in access to quality education. Opoku-Agyemang oversaw the completion of key infrastructure at the

University of Health and Allied Sciences The University of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS) is a public university located at Ho in the Volta Region of Ghana. UHAS is one of the youngest public universities in Ghana. Its operation started in September 2012, when the first batch of 15 ...

(UHAS) in Ho, including the School of Basic and Biomedical Sciences, a hostel block, and staff accommodation at its Sokode campus. The university was inaugurated by President John Dramani Mahama in November 2015, underscoring the government's commitment to expanding access to quality higher education and supporting the training of health professionals to address national healthcare needs. She also played a critical role in establishing the University of Environment and Sustainable Development (UESD) in the Eastern Region. She facilitated the passage of the enabling Bill in Parliament and secured funding for the university. In December 2016, President John Mahama officially cut the sod for the construction of the UESD’s Somanya campus.

Vice presidential campaign

Opoku-Agyemang was selected as the presidential running mate for the National Democratic Congress (NDC) on 6 July 2020 for Ghana’s December 2020 General elections. She became the first female running mate of the two major political parties in Ghana. Her selection by the flagbearer,

John Dramani Mahama John Dramani Mahama (; born 29 November 1958) is a Ghanaian politician who has been the 14th president of Ghana since January 2025. A member of the National Democratic Congress (Ghana), National Democratic Congress (NDC), he served as the 12th p ...

of the National Democratic Congress was applauded by women groups and women activists as a positive sign to the Ghanaian political scene to promote gender balance and equality. She appealed to Ghanaians to vote for change and promised to use her office as vice president to influence sustainable development and practical youth-centred policies. Her campaign message was devoid of attacks on opponents. Her intensive campaign in the coastal communities and her home region, the Central Region yielded results as the NDC won most of the constituencies they had lost in 2016. The NDC also won 9 out of the 16 regions in Ghana including the major battleground,

Greater Accra The Greater Accra Region has the smallest area of Ghana's 16 administrative regions, occupying a total land surface of 3,245 square kilometres. This is 1.4 per cent of the total land area of Ghana. It is the most populated region, with a popul ...

. The NDC National Executive Committee, on 7 March 2024, officially endorsed Opoku-Agyemang again as the running mate for the party's flagbearer, ahead of the 2024 general elections. Opoku-Agyemang became the vice president-elect after Mahama won the

2024 presidential election This is a list of elections that were held in 2024. The National Democratic Institute also maintains a calendar of elections around the world. *2024 United Nations Security Council election *2024 national electoral calendar *2024 local electoral ...

. On 7 January 2025, Opoku-Agyemang was sworn in as the

Vice President of Ghana The vice president of Ghana is the second-highest officer in the Government of Ghana. The vice president, together with the President of Ghana, is directly elected by the people through popular vote to serve a four-year term in office. The vice- ...

, becoming the first female to hold the office. The ceremony took place at Independence Square in Accra, where she took the Oath of Allegiance and the Vice President's Oath before Chief Justice

Gertrude Torkornoo Gertrude Araba Esaaba Sackey Torkornoo (born on 11 September 1962) is the suspended Chief Justice of the republic of Ghana. She was nominated to the Supreme Court in November 2019 and received parliamentary approval in December 2019. She was sw ...

. Her appointment marked a significant moment in Ghana's political history, as she became the first woman to assume the role of Vice President in the country's history.

Professional association

Opoku-Agyemang is a Fellow of the

, University Teachers Association of Ghana, English Studies Association,

African Studies Association The African Studies Association (ASA) is a US-based association of scholars, students, practitioners, and institutions with an interest in the continent of Africa. Founded in 1957, the ASA is the leading organization of African Studies in North ...

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

, African Literature Association,

and International

Fulbright Scholars The Fulbright Program, including the Fulbright–Hays Program, is one of several United States cultural exchange programs with the goal of improving intercultural relations, cultural diplomacy, and intercultural competence between the people of ...

Association,

Commonwealth A commonwealth is a traditional English term for a political community founded for the common good. The noun "commonwealth", meaning "public welfare, general good or advantage", dates from the 15th century. Originally a phrase (the common-wealth ...

of Learning amongst others.

Personal life

Opoku Agyemang is a

Christian A Christian () is a person who follows or adheres to Christianity, a Monotheism, monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus in Christianity, Jesus Christ. Christians form the largest religious community in the wo ...

who worships as a

Methodist Methodism, also called the Methodist movement, is a Protestant Christianity, Christian Christian tradition, tradition whose origins, doctrine and practice derive from the life and teachings of John Wesley. George Whitefield and John's brother ...

. She was married to fellow academic, Edmund Opoku-Agyemang and together they have three children, Kweku Opoku-Agyemang, Kwabena Opoku-Agyemang and Maame Adwoa Opoku-Agyemang. She also has two grandchildren.

Awards and recognition

Opoku-Agyemang has been honoured with honorary degrees from the

University of the West Indies The University of the West Indies (UWI), originally University College of the West Indies, is a public university system established to serve the higher education needs of the residents of 18 English-speaking countries and territories in t ...

an
Winston-Salem University
She has also received an award for Global leadership from the

University of South Florida The University of South Florida (USF) is a Public university, public research university with its main campus located in Tampa, Florida, Tampa, Florida, United States, and other campuses in St. Petersburg, Florida, St. Petersburg and Sarasota, ...

Tampa Tampa ( ) is a city on the Gulf Coast of the United States, Gulf Coast of the U.S. state of Florida. Tampa's borders include the north shore of Tampa Bay and the east shore of Old Tampa Bay. Tampa is the largest city in the Tampa Bay area and t ...

. She received the Officer of the

Order of the Volta The Order of the Volta is an order of merit from the Republic of Ghana. It was instituted in 1960 and is awarded to people for their outstanding service to the country.

award for Academic Distinction in 2011 by President

John Atta Mills John Evans Fiifi Atta Mills (21 July 1944 – 24 July 2012) was a Ghanaian politician and legal scholar who served as the 11th president of Ghana from 2009 until his death in 2012. He was inaugurated on 7 January 2009, having defeated the govern ...

. and Ghana Women of Excellence Award in the Education category due to her contribution to the development and promotion of quality education in

. She was acknowledged for Outstanding Performance in Advancing International Education, School for International Training,

Vermont Vermont () is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Massachusetts to the south, New Hampshire to the east, New York (state), New York to the west, and the Provinces and territories of Ca ...

USA The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 contiguous ...

on two occasions. In 2020, she was named among the 40 Most Inspirational Female Leaders in

for serving as a role model for women in

and in

In January 2023, she was listed among the 100 most reputable Africans.

Bibliography

*"Where there is No Silence: Articulations of Resistance to Enslavement". Revised Inaugural Lecture to the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences. *Opoku-Agyemang, N. J., Lovejoy, P. E., Trotman, D. V. (eds), ''Africa and its Diasporas: History, Memory and Literary Manifestations'', Trenton, New Jersey, USA: Africa World Press, 2008. *'' Where There is No Silence: Articulations of Resistance to Enslavement'', Accra: Page Link Publishers, 2008. *Anquandah, J., Opoku-Agyemang, N.J., and Doormont, M. (eds), ''The Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade: Landmarks, Legacies, Expectations'', Accra: Sub-Saharan Publishers, 2007, pp. 210–224. *"The Living Experience of the Slave Trade in Sankana and Gwollu: Literary Manifestations and Implications for Tourism". In James Anquandah, Naana Opoku-Agyemang and Michel Doormont (eds), ''The Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade: Landmarks, Legacies, Expectations'', Accra: Sub-Saharan Publishers, 2007, pp. *"A Fork in the Road: Ayi Kwei Armah's '' Osiris Rising'' and Florence Ladd's ''Sarah's Psalm'' on the subject of homecoming" in Naana J. Opoku-Agyemang, with Paul E. Lovejoy and David V. Trotman (eds), ''Africa and its Diasporas: History, Memory and Literary Manifestations'', Trenton, New Jersey, USA: Africa World Press, 2008, pp. 303–318.

References

External links

University of Cape Coast Vice-Chancellor's Profile
archive.org.
Profile
Myjoyonline.com. , - {{DEFAULTSORT:Opoku-Agyemang, Jane Naana 1951 births Living people 21st-century Ghanaian women politicians Academic staff of the University of Cape Coast Vice-presidents of Ghana Cabinet ministers of Ghana Ministers for education of Ghana Fante people Fellows of the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences Ghanaian Methodists Ghanaian women academics National Democratic Congress (Ghana) politicians People educated at Wesley Girls' Senior High School People from Cape Coast Recipients of the Order of the Volta University of Cape Coast alumni Vice-chancellors of the University of Cape Coast Vice-chancellors of universities in Ghana Women academic administrators Women government ministers of Ghana York University alumni 21st-century Ghanaian politicians Ghanaian educators