The Ghanaian government has directed all flags in the nation and its overseas diplomatic missions to be flown at half-mast in honor of the late former First Lady, Theresa Kufuor.
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo issued this directive, specifying that flags should be lowered from Monday, October 1, 2023, through Sunday, October 8, 2023.
The statement, signed by Minister of Information, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, praised Mrs. Kufuor for her life marked by compassion, steadfast dedication, and selfless service to the Ghanaian people.
It conveyed heartfelt condolences to President J. A. Kufuor and the family, recognizing her as a remarkable woman who touched many hearts.
Theresa Kufuor, born Theresa Mensah on October 25, 1935, spent much of her professional life in the United Kingdom after studying at the Radcliffe Infirmary, Oxford, and Paddington General Hospital in London.
She served as Ghana's First Lady from 2001 to 2009 during her husband, John Agyekum Kufuor's presidency.
Her life story included a 61-year marriage to John Kufuor, which began when they met at a Republic Day Anniversary Dance in London in 1961 and culminated in their wedding in 1962.
The couple had five children: J. Addo Kufuor, Nana Ama Gyamfi, Saah Kufuor, Agyekum Kufuor, and Owusu Afriyie Kufuor. Mrs. Kufuor, a devout Roman Catholic, was also a mother of five and a grandmother of eight.
Despite her role as Ghana's First Lady for eight years from 2001 to 2009, Theresa Kufuor maintained a low political profile. In 2007, she advocated for policy changes in the Government's white paper on Educational Reforms, pushing for the implementation of UNESCO's Free Compulsory Universal Basic Education (FCUBE) program for kindergarten children.
She also founded the Mother and Child Community Development Foundation (MCCDF), a non-governmental organization operating in Ghana and Canada that focused on preventing mother-to-child transmission of diseases.
Ghana now comes together to mourn the loss of this exceptional woman who left behind a legacy of service, compassion, and dedication to her country.
Reporting by Godwill Arthur-Mensah: Editing by Adewale Adejoke
