The Government of Ghana, under President John Mahama, has announced a state funeral for the late former First Lady, Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings, scheduled for Friday, November 28, 2025, at Independence Square in Accra.
In a statement signed by Felix Kwakye Ofosu, Minister for Government Communications and Presidential Spokesperson, the Presidency said the state funeral honours Mrs Agyeman-Rawlings’ lifelong contributions to women’s and children’s rights, as well as national development.
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Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings passed away on Thursday, October 23, 2025, at the Ridge Hospital in Accra at the age of 76. Her death was met with nationwide grief, with tributes from political leaders, civil society organisations, and citizens recognising her as a trailblazer for women’s empowerment.
Parliament suspended its sittings in her honour, while her family appealed for privacy during the mourning period.
Nana Konadu’s public life spanned more than four decades. As Ghana’s longest-serving First Lady, she transformed the role from ceremonial to one of active social and political engagement alongside her husband, the late former President Jerry John Rawlings, during his tenure from 1979 to 2001.
She founded the 31st December Women’s Movement in 1982, mobilising women, particularly in rural areas, to engage in education, entrepreneurship, and local governance. Under her leadership, numerous preschools were established, literacy programmes implemented, and key legal reforms achieved, including the Intestate Succession Law (PNDCL 111), which strengthened inheritance rights for widows and children.
In 2016, she made history as the first woman in Ghana to run for President, contesting on the ticket of the National Democratic Party (NDP), which she founded. Her candidacy reinforced her reputation as a fearless and independent leader, inspiring greater female participation in politics.
