Accra, Ghana — October 23, 2025 — Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings, former First Lady of Ghana and prominent women’s rights advocate, has died at the age of 76 at the Ridge Hospital in Accra after a short illness.
Her death was confirmed in a statement by the Civil Service of the Presidency.
A legacy of service and empowerment
Nana Konadu served as Ghana’s First Lady twice: initially from June 1979 and then from December 1981 until January 2001 during the tenure of her husband, the late President Jerry John Rawlings.
Perhaps most recognised for founding the 31st December Women’s Movement (DWM) in 1982, she pioneered efforts to improve the socio-economic status of Ghanaian women through training, literacy, and enterprise programmes. Her work has been credited with reshaping women’s participation in Ghana’s public and political life.
She later formed the National Democratic Party (NDP) after leaving the governing National Democratic Congress, becoming one of Ghana’s first female presidential contenders.
Reflections from across Ghana
President Ghana’s presidency expressed “deep regret and profound sorrow” over her passing.
Across Ghana, tributes poured in from former colleagues, civil society groups, and grassroots movements recognising her guiding role in gender empowerment and national policy reform.
Looking ahead
Her passing marks the end of a significant chapter in Ghana’s post-independence history—one in which female leadership and social activism became increasingly visible.
