Tribute by NDC: Our history cannot be told without Nana Konadu’s name spoken boldly

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) paid glowing tribute at the funeral of former First Lady Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings, declaring that the party’s history cannot be told without her name spoken boldly and with honour. 

The NDC described her as a pioneering force whose courage reshaped Ghana’s political and social landscape, especially for women whose voices had long been ignored, in the tribute read by the General Secretary, Fifi Fiavi Kwetey.

They recalled how, in the turbulent 1980s, she stepped decisively into national leadership—not as a bystander, but as a defining force of the revolution.

Her creation of the 31st December Women’s Movement was hailed as one of the most transformative acts in Ghana’s history, empowering millions of women through education, community mobilisation, literacy programmes, micro-enterprise support and legal reforms. 

The NDC said under her leadership, more than 870 early childhood centres were established nationwide, giving thousands of Ghanaians the gift of early education.

"Today, thousands of adults in their 30s and 40s carry the gift of early education because they are not connected with her movement, walked into their communities, and planted opportunities where none existed. Her work was practical, personal, and profoundly transformational. Her advocacy went far beyond education."

The NDC also highlighted her major role in championing women’s rights, referencing her influence on the passage of the Intestate Succession Law (PNDC Law 111), which protected widows from injustice. Her advocacy reached the global stage at the 1995 Beijing Conference, where she spoke powerfully for African girls and women.

"Her fearlessness also took Ghana to the world stage. At the 1995 Beijing Conference, she spoke for the African girl child with a clarity and authority that commanded global respect. Above all, Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings was a foundational pillar of both the PNDC and the NDC." 

Described as a foundational pillar of both the PNDC and NDC, she played a central role in organising women, strengthening grassroots structures, and shaping the party’s identity. 

Her election as First Vice-Chairperson of the NDC in 2009 reaffirmed her status as a founding mother whose influence could never be erased. 

The tribute also celebrated her historic courage in becoming the first woman to contest the presidency.

"She did not operate from the background. She was at a steady centre, organising women, building structures, shaping strategy, strengthening grassroots, and helping give birth to a party that was not just political, but deeply connected to the people. The history of the NDC cannot be told without her name spoken boldly and with honour."

She was not an observer of the struggle. She was an architect of its success. She was not a mere participant.  She was a pillar, strong and yielding, indispensable. Her election in 2009, as first vice-chairperson of the NDC, was a recognition of her stature as a founding mother of the party. One whose influence could never be wished away, revised and forgotten."

The NDC concluded by honouring her enduring legacy—visible in every empowered girl, every protected widow, every woman who now knows she can lead, and every community transformed by early education. 

"As we mourn, we also celebrate a woman who lived with intention, who spoke a truth without fear, and who served this country with unshakeable conviction. A legacy lives in every confident girl who walks into a classroom, every widow protected by law and dignity, every woman who now knows she can lead, every community where early education took root, and every tractor of our political tradition that she helped build with her own hands."

They thanked her for her service, courage, and the indelible foundation she laid for both the PNDC and NDC.

“Your race is run, but your legacy endures. Rest well, Mother of the Movement. Ghana is better because you lived.”