Member of Parliament for Gushegu, Alhassan Tampuli Sulemana, has called on President John Mahama to consider renaming the Greater Accra Regional Hospital, popularly known as Ridge Hospital, after the late former First Lady, Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings, in recognition of her remarkable contributions to Ghana’s democratic development and women’s empowerment.
Speaking on Prime Insight on Saturday, October 25, Mr. Tampuli said the best way to honour the late First Lady’s memory would be to name one of Ghana’s key national health institutions after her.
“I think that the best tribute the Ghanaian people can give—and I want to call on the President to consider—is to rename Ridge Hospital after Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings, which is just next to her. It will serve as a living testimony of the hard work and commitment she gave to the sustenance of our democracy, especially the Fourth Republic,” he said.
Mr. Tampuli described Nana Konadu as “arguably the mother of the Fourth Republic,” saying her influence and leadership as First Lady during Ghana’s transition into constitutional rule were unmatched.
“Arguably, Nana Konadu is the mother of the Fourth Republic. Having been the First Lady immediately prior to the introduction of the Fourth Republican Constitution and also serving continuously thereafter, I think she’s the First Lady among First Ladies as far as the Fourth Republic is concerned,” he stated.
He praised her resilience and modesty during the turbulent political era of the late former President Jerry John Rawlings, noting that her strength helped keep both the family and the nation together through difficult times.
“She was a symbol of modesty and of the enduring fighting spirit of a woman who had seen fire—as far as May 15 was concerned—when her husband was incarcerated, tried, and faced possible execution until he was freed by his colleagues and the June 4 uprising succeeded,” he recounted.
“She went through it again in 1981, when there were multiple attempts to overthrow his regime. As a wife, she virtually carried the responsibility of caring for the family. You can imagine the trepidation she would have been under at those times—and yet, that is what gave birth to the NDC, which, ironically, later distanced itself from her,” he added.
Reflecting on her later years, Mr. Tampuli lamented what he called the “sad reality of life” that Nana Konadu became estranged from the very party she helped build.
“So Nana Konadu was the landlady, but eventually became a tenant. She couldn’t even get access to join the party or take part in any of the NDC’s activities. That’s a very sad reality of life,” he remarked.
He also extended condolences to the Rawlings family, the Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, and the entire nation.
“My condolences once again to Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings’ family and to the Asantehene Otumfuo’s family, who I believe will oversee this funeral. To the Ghanaian people, this is a loss for our country, and I extend my condolences to all of us,” he said.
Mr. Tampuli further stated that Dr. Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings, the eldest daughter of the late First Lady, deserves recognition within the NDC and in the national political space for her contributions and qualifications.
“She’s more than deserving. When almost all these new people who have joined the NDC have appointments, we must ask—who were the people who faced the rough side of the revolution? When her father was in custody and likely to be executed, assuming he had been executed, would she even have a father?” he asked.
“The family sacrificed for the NDC to be birthed—from the PNDC to the NDC. So, I don’t think there’s anybody more qualified than Dr. Zanetor when it comes to appointments. She’s eminently qualified in terms of education, experience, and age, and she’s already a Member of Parliament. That’s the foundational qualification to be a minister of state,” he added.
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