Prof. Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang; Ghana's First Female Vice President-Elect and What It Means for Women

If you are a Ghanaian woman, the morning of December 8th, 2024, likely felt like a breath of fresh air. Stepping outside, perhaps you imagined pushing away invisible barriers, walking through them confidently and holding your head high because a woman had just done the same.?

Prof. Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang, the first female Vice President of the Republic of Ghana, has shown that indeed, delay is not denial, following her party’s loss in the 2020 general elections.

When the Vice President and Presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party Dr Mahamud Bawumia ended his concession speech, an impressive and admirable move by the way, a friend made a post on his WhatsApp status “Lowkey having a first female vice president will let feminists aim higher” while including three facepalm emojis signifying frustration. On a normal day, I would write a paragraph to him detailing how offensive that is and insulting to the feat achieved by Prof Naana and to every woman who fights twice as hard to be recognized. But this time, I let it slide because, ironically, his words carried a sliver of truth; women now have more grounding to dream and, more importantly, to take bold steps. Much like Prof said in her acceptance speech after her nomination in 2020 “making history is gratifying, but what really matters is not to be the first through the door. What matters is to hold the door open for those behind us and create other avenues for self-actualization for many more”. So yes, aim higher dear women.?

Prof. Naana’s nomination as vice-presidential candidate in 2020 was the first step in breaking the glass ceiling for women in Ghanaian politics. Her swearing-in will mark another significant milestone. But this is not the first "first" for Prof. Naana Opoku-Agyemang. She was the first female vice-chancellor of a public university in Ghana, the University of Cape Coast, and also the first female Minister for Education between 2013 and 2016 in Ghana.

Her track record shows that she is no stranger to high expectations and heavy responsibilities. Prof. Naana already has heavy weights on her shoulders even before her swearing-in on January 7, 2025. The high expectations are not just for and from Ghanaian women but for and from observers worldwide. There are already conversations about taking proactive steps to address various issues that affect women with the leading discussion on removing taxes on sanitary pads. But who on God’s green earth thought it was a great idea to categorize the tax under luxury items? But that is just one of the issues that Prof would have to tackle. This is away from the various promises the NDC has made to women including establishing a women’s development bank. It goes without saying that the success or otherwise of these projects, including other pressing national issues, will inevitably be laid at the doorsteps of her office.

Amidst all these, there is one glaring problem - the constitution of Ghana and its expectations for the office of the vice president. A critical look at Article 60 of the Constitution reveals that the position is largely ceremonial, with limited opportunities for independent action. Almost as if it is just one piece in the grand scheme of things. In a nutshell, the position is to “stand in for the president when they are unavailable and when they are, just do whatever they (president) say”. It brings into question whether anyone nominated for the role can cause any major change on their own aside from giving speeches and commissioning projects that the president has approved.?

Historically, the role has been peripheral with very little known about or heard from the holders of the office. This dynamic only changed recently during John Mahama's time as the vice president and currently with Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia's tenure.?

In the lead-up to the 2016 elections, for once, the vice presidential candidate was loud about key issues that struck the core of Ghanaians and sold himself as a solution without hiding behind the presidential candidate who appointed him. This, to a large extent,? has set a precedence for the office and left a challenge for anyone who takes office in the future to maintain its relevance and perform accordingly beyond rhetoric. Arguably, this much was missing from the campaign trail of the NDC’s vice presidential candidate in the 2020 and 2024 elections. But even Dr Bawumia, despite his vocal and public persona, has alluded to the limitations of the office on several occasions further raising questions about Prof’s ability to deliver in the new role and excel at it on her own.?

This precedent raises an important issue; “How much real change can Prof. Naana effect within these constraints?”

Despite the concerns I have raised earlier, another one stands tall. For the next four years, women will be judged through the lens of Prof Naana's performance.Her performance will not just reflect on her as an individual but, unfairly, on all women. If she excels, some will reduce her achievements to the qualifier, “As a woman, she’s done well,” reinforcing the stereotype that women must outperform to earn trust. If she falls short, critics will argue that women, as a whole, are unfit for leadership. The narrative will be “We trusted this woman and she’s acting like this. All women must not be up to the task then”, This double bind is not only unjust but also dangerous, as it sets a precedent for evaluating women in politics through an inherently biased lens.

This is why it is critical to evaluate Prof. Naana's tenure not as a woman vice president but as a vice president, period. Her gender should not magnify her successes or failures. Doing so risks reinforcing stereotypes and setting unrealistic expectations for women who follow in her footsteps.

Prof. Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang's election is a monumental achievement, but it also reminds us how much work remains. For women to achieve true equality in leadership, we must dismantle the biases that shape how their contributions are perceived. Her tenure should inspire women to aspire, not because she is a woman, but because she represents competence, resilience, and the power of breaking barriers.

As we celebrate this historic moment, let us also commit to a future where leadership is judged by merit, not by gender, and where a woman’s success is seen as a success for all, not as a justification for her place at the table.

About the Author

Mawuena Azumah is a communications professional with experience in media and corporate communications. She is dedicated to amplifying marginalized voices and advancing issues such as youth and women’s inclusion. Currently, Mawuena works at the Youth Bridge Foundation, where she supports initiatives focused on youth empowerment and social inclusion. Mawuena can be reached via email at [email protected]?